“For some, creativity flows. For those who embody creativity, their lives are oft times enriched, made interesting, and fulfilling,” reads the first lines of an article written by Amy Bridge, the owner, editor, and publisher of a lifestyle magazine called The Journal, regarding Andy Gertler's ephemeral art. 

For almost 16 years, The Journal has focused on fun, local stories, featuring food, history, life, art and nature, and is published ten times a year, reaching readers across parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and North Jersey.  

Advice for Young Journalists

Bridge, over her long career, has had the privilege of working alongside a variety of individuals and, with freelance writers, she has come to find, “the ones [she] always want to work with are the ones that want to learn.” Bridge knows the only way to succeed is to surround herself with like minded people with goals of advancement and furthering their knowledge. 

When it comes to her writing, she said, “as the prices go up on paper and printing, I want every word to have substance.” As she writes, her main goal is to find her subjects' motivation and impetus. She hardly prepares questions and moves along with the flow of the interview. Bridge followed this up with, “as long as you have an idea of where you are going.” She also mentioned how hard it is to have an organized, structured interview with creative people, such as musicians, actors, artists, and sculptresses, due to their lack of organized thought processes, which, according to Bridge, isn’t necessarily a bad thing and can make a person and story more interesting. 

Bridge recommends, when writing, to “find different words.” She said, “when you’re working on a deadline, you have that mindset” of getting work done in time. However, it’s important to take notice if you’ve used a word repetitively. She also recommends reading and re-reading a story many times and with fresh eyes to see the whole picture. In the end, “everyone takes ownership of their writing.”

“Art always is a forum that needs more of an outlet, and I think that Amy’s presentation really showed how in depth and passionate she is about meeting new people and learning about their stories,” said student-journalist Leo Watson. 

Bridge also wants young journalists to know they’ll be working with a wide range of editors. Some will help them “hone their craft” and others won’t. Either way, “if they give you direction, do what they say.”

In Bridge’s experience, a magazine is very different from a newspaper. “A magazine comes together like a rubik's cube.” She says writers can be loose and flexible, but must still follow the rules. She works hard to build a reputation and consistency because “writers and photographers want their work to go into a publication that makes them look good.” Lastly, Bridge pointed out the importance of hooking the reader so their eyes don’t glaze over, so “keep it spicy.”

Use of Politics in Writing

Bridge was adamant about keeping the magazine relevant and without political bias. She wants to “plant a little seed” and get readers thinking about their local communities without forcing an opinion onto them. “The theme of The Journal is community support. Our job is to make the community look good. Our readers are in three different states and eight counties; different ages, incomes and political views. So we stay focused on what we feature, making it real,” she described, regarding The Journal’s primary goal. “I like to shed light on things people don’t know about. So much of this is through history. I look for the funky and the unusual.”

Thoughts on A.I.

Her views on A.I., however, aren’t typical of a writer. She believes in the use of A.I. as a tool, but it “shouldn’t replace learning.” Bridge said, “the way college costs today, you have to go there to learn.”

Backstory

Bridge was an entrepreneur in the 1980s. When the business she worked for closed, she had sales experience and started working for a newspaper. She shifted to a monthly magazine, which worked with her laid-back personality. She worked as a sales manager for three years before the magazine closed.

Her husband and graphic designer both noticed she had a “propensity to be a writer, to be an editor” and encouraged her to start a local magazine of her own. She kept it within the Milford, Sussex County, and Orange County areas, each with their own magazine, but subtly merged all into one, called The Journal, following their tenth anniversary.

“What I found interesting was how someone could go from sales to writing and owning a magazine. Very interesting,” said student-journalist Victoria Autocunas. 

Bridge didn’t have a lot of money in the beginning, but was able to use her sales connections to obtain advertisers, which paid for the first issue. “When you advertise in a magazine,” said Bridge, “you’re becoming a piece of fabric in the community. It gives the advertiser credibility.”

Final Remarks

The Journal is a highly regarded publication in the surrounding areas. Be sure to pick up the latest copy and see senior writing major Joe Hamway’s Flash Fiction contest winning story on his mom’s pecan tassies and several mentions of our university and Centenary Stage Company. Students can expect to find copies next week on campus, courtesy of Professor Zatta. 

This is the final installment of the Fall 2024 Guest Speaker’s series. Have a wonderful winter break!