Rosie Nixon has been the joint editor of HELLO! magazine for seven years. Her debut novel, The Stylist is on sale now, published by Mira (Harper Collins), £12.99.
The Stylist
Be nice to people. At HELLO! we believe in treating people well - of course we write truthful articles and ask the difficult questions in interviews, but we ultimately want the stars we feature to enjoy the process of working with us and to be happy with the end result. HELLO! is about celebrating the good times and marking important moments in the stars' lives and this enduring philosophy has kept our sales buoyant for the 28 years we have been in business. We have no intention of ever changing this.
A lot happens in a week. We have very short lead times on the magazine, which means that a wedding can take place one day, we'll go to press with it that night, and be on sale just days later. It's exhilarating to be able to put fresh news into readers's hands as soon as possible, with no compromise on our gorgeous, glossy, full colour photography. But to do this takes a strong team effort - everyone goes the extra mile, and we try to have fun in the process.
Family comes first. HELLO! is a family business, we are owned by the Spanish family who founded HOLA! magazine in 1944 and there is a strong family ethos to the business today. We believe that spending time with family keeps us grounded and makes us stronger. We are a relatively small team in London, with many staff members who have been with us for long time - we like to think of ourselves as a 'work family'.
It's about the brand as a whole. Publishing has changed enormously in recent years and HELLO! is now a global brand consisting of digital editions, a successful website and many social media offerings, as well as the print title - not to mention our 33 foreign editions around the globe. There are more exciting plans to further develop the HELLO! brand and engage with new technologies - I'm always thinking of ways that we can be creative to stay ahead of the game and I'm pleased to say, the future for HELLO! is bright.
You must enjoy running on adrenalin. When there is a big newsworthy event happening, like the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, or the birth of one of their children, we will work around the clock to ensure HELLO! has the best photography and the best Royal reporting, pulled together very quickly for the magazine and continually fed to our readership through our website and social media channels. As joint editor, I need to enjoy working under pressure and be able to make good, quick decisions across all of our platforms, to get the job done on time and of a high standard. Coffee helps too.
Be true to your word and trustworthy. The rich and famous entrust HELLO! with covering the most important, personal moments in their lives, such as their weddings and the first photos of their new babies, they also invite us into their incredible homes and to their parties - this is a huge responsibility and one I never take lightly. I am often privy to private and confidential information about a star's personal life so I am very good at keeping secrets and would never betray this trust; it is intrinsic to my working life and reputation in the industry. I feel it is a moral obligation and one I am intensely proud and protective of.
Look the part. Fashion, beauty and lifestyle is another key area in the make-up of HELLO! and as joint editor, I am an ambassador for the brand so looking polished is important. Luckily, a love of clothes and beauty trends is in my blood, so one of the great perks of my job is having to dress up! Watching the BAFTAs and Oscars red carpet is one of my highlights of the year and I've been lucky enough to attend many award ceremonies, often wearing a gown borrowed from a fashion house. These experiences undoubtedly enabled me to write The Stylist.
The old adage, 'if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it' is true. Writing a novel has to be a compulsion, and I wrote much of my first novel The Stylist on my iPhone on the tube, the back of taxis, in bed, over dinner - wherever and whenever an idea or a bit of prose came to mind. My characters lived with me for over a year and were never far from my mind. It has been an absolute joy to bring them back to life for the sequel, which I'm writing now; only this time I'm on maternity leave, juggling my writing alongside looking after a new born baby and a toddler - once again my iPhone is a key tool in the process, as I snatch moments here and there.
Don't take yourself too seriously. At the end of the day, I work in the entertainment industry, producing a magazine to whisk readers away from the stresses and hum-drum of daily life and into a glamorous world of showbiz and royal news. I believe that if you enjoy what you do as much as I do, and take a pride in the product, then it can be sensed on the pages and you will retain a loyal readership. Attending glam events and entertaining contacts is an essential and also fun part of my job - some of the best exclusive deals have been done on the back of a great night out or a long lunch.
Find a hobby to offer escapism. The rollercoaster of working on a weekly magazine is intense, so it's important to use downtime wisely. Spending time with my husband and our two little boys will always come first, but creative writing is my other great escape. I love getting lost in my characters and developing their storylines. My second novel is set in New York, so in my mind I'm in buzzy Manhattan drinking a cocktail with my central character, Amber Green - what could be a nicer form of escape?
The Stylist by Rosie Nixon is out now in hardback (MIRA, £12.99)