We are thrilled to share a new 1:1 interview with assistant editor at 425 magazine and South Sound magazine, Lauren Foster.  Originally from LA, Lauren’s summers in Hoodsport, Washington with her Grandpa introduced her to the wonders of the Northwest, where she would return for college. She recalls storytelling being a huge part of her young life as a result of her parents work as film editors and the sharing of stories around the dinner table.  According to Lauren, “telling a great story is one of the hardest things you can do”.  We can’t agree more, and lucky for us, she also relays that it’s not something “she’ll ever give up on”.   Read on to learn more about Lauren and how you can be an incredible partner to her in the storytelling process.

Tell us about your role at 425 and what kinds of stories you write?

I write about everything. I write about fashion and beauty in my weekly column, “It List.” I also produce all our fashion shoots. I manage out Arts & Entertainment weekly eblasts “3 to See.” I often write our social pages and help with our “Inside Scoop” section along with a variety of different features. But at the end of the day, I write about people. And I think that’s true for most writers. We may love fashion, food, politics or business but at the root of all these subjects are interesting characters orchestrating innovative projects. If I worked in PR, I would center my pitches on people not products. But that’s just me.

How can PR people be most helpful to you?

In a dream world a perfect PR person is always easy to get in touch with and easy to work with. In addition, they provide the little details we all wonder about. For example, if you’re inviting me to an event, I want to know where best to park (if it’s not incredibly obvious) how much tickets are (if something is free, spell it out!) Where can people buy tickets? Can they buy tickets day of? When does the event end? Will there be food there? What’s the dress code? These are the questions we get asked by readers. Answer every possible question about an event before you send the invite. The worst thing that could happen is you send a slightly longer email.

What is your favorite pitch you received in 2013 and why?

A great pitch is often about a great story. It’s hard to have a great pitch that isn’t connected to anything important, meaningful or noteworthy. One of the best pitches I’ve seen was sent to my editor by Tacoma Art Museum. It was on a Native American photographer named Matika Wilbur who wanted to go out and shoot all the federally recognized tribes in America. She wanted to show Native Americans as modern, successful people. Her photographs would then be used in an exclusive exhibit at TAM. People loved her story and she tripled what she set out to make on Kickstarter. The story for me had three very specific components:

1.) It was local: Wilbur is a member of the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes

2.) It was new and fresh: What a cool idea! We don’t get this kind of pitch every day.

3.) It was independent and ambitious: Readers love stories about people going out on a limb to do something they really believe in.

Writers and readers value people who take risks to make an impact and it shows in how much money Wilbur raised.

If you could tell PR people one thing, what would it be?

Please, please, please attach high resolution photos and a photo credit to your pitch. We need photos to report on a subject. Not only are they helpful for the reader, they’re attention grabbers. We can’t post anything on our websites without photos and posting something to Facebook without a photo is a lost cause. We need visuals to grab people’s attention more than ever.

What do you love about your job?

Right before the 2008 election, President Obama gave a speech that I think about almost daily. He was talking about his grandmother when he said, “She was one of those quiet heroes that we have all across America. They’re not famous. Their names are not in the newspapers, but each and every day they work hard. They aren’t seeking the limelight. All they try to do is just do the right thing.” Quiet heroes are my favorite subject. The people who tend to go unnoticed but are making huge strides to help their neighbors. The people who seem simple on the outside but are often full of peculiar ideas or exciting propositions. The people with stories that no one bothers to tap into. I love this job because I think it makes a difference when I put a quiet hero’s name in print. They aren’t seeking the limelight but more often than not, they deserve it as much as our outspoken, renowned leaders.

Thanks to Lauren for this awesome and thorough interview! Tell us what you thought on Facebook or tweet us at @REVPR!