Big Article abt Skating in REDBOOK magazine | Golden Skate

Big Article abt Skating in REDBOOK magazine

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Hi Everyone!

So I'm going to "out" myself now- I'm the writer Priscilla Gilman. Some of you have read my work and have been in touch with me privately about my book and articles, but now I have to "come out" and tell you all because I've written a long piece about my passionate love of skating! The piece is in this month's REDBOOK (with Hilary Duff on the cover); it's pegged to US Nationals. I titled it "Why I Watch Figure Skating and You Should Too;" they re-titled it "Figure Skating Life Lessons." When I went to a meeting with the editors at REDBOOK, I pitched them several ideas, and I was elated when my ardent love of figure skating was the one they picked. The piece is really my love letter to our beloved sport, and I hope that it both sums up many of the reasons we all love it so much and helps attract new fans to the sport. Figure skating needs all the good publicity it can get right now!

One note: I wrote about a LOT of skaters; unfortunately, many ended up on the cutting room floor due to space constraints.

I will post a link to the online version of the piece when it's available, but that probably won't be for several months.

I love being a part of this board, and it's fun to share this news with you all because I know you will really appreciate that a national magazine is covering our sport at all!

warm regards,
Priscilla
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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Congratulations :hb:

I'm excited to read your article :yay:
 
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CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
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Oct 25, 2012
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Wow! I never realised that I have been chatting to somebody famous! :jaw:

Makes you wonder who else is on here... :think:

Thank you for tipping us off that this article was going to appear. Like the others that have replied, I am looking forward to reading it.

Hopefully, this article will help raise awareness of the sport. As the introductory paragraph says, a lot of people don't think about figure skating in between Olympics. And, as we all know, a LOT can happen in those 4 years!

It's a shame about the cutting, but hey, at least the article did get published. It has got to the stage that it is rare for a non-specialist media outlet to run a story about figure skating, so this is a big achievement in itself.

Well done Priscilla!!! :clap: :rock: :points:

All the best to you and your family.

CaroLiza_fan (not famous!)
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
My Mom used to get the big three of the "ladies" magazines when I was growing up: Redbook, Good Housekeeping and Ladies Home Journal (I was always waiting for an article called This Marriage Can't Be Saved...and Everybody's Happier for Deciding That!). And yes, I used to read them all (I was and am a compulsive reader). Nice to hear Redbook is still around and congrats on the publication. As you noted, it is rare for a national magazine to cover skating when it is not an Olympic season. Looking forward to reading it!
 
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TMC

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Sounds fabulous, really looking forward to reading it!

I love your original title, too bad they changed it :biggrin:
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Congratulations :hb:

I'm excited to read your article :yay:

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and the adorable emoticons!

- - - Updated - - -

Sounds fabulous, really looking forward to reading it!

I love your original title, too bad they changed it :biggrin:

I know- I was frustrated when I saw the magazine because I thought the original title was more eye-grabbing and powerful as far as converting people! :)
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Wow! I never realised that I have been chatting to somebody famous! :jaw:

Makes you wonder who else is on here... :think:

Thank you for tipping us off that this article was going to appear. Like the others that have replied, I am looking forward to reading it.

Hopefully, this article will help raise awareness of the sport. As the introductory paragraph says, a lot of people don't think about figure skating in between Olympics. And, as we all know, a LOT can happen in those 4 years!

It's a shame about the cutting, but hey, at least the article did get published. It has got to the stage that it is rare for a non-specialist media outlet to run a story about figure skating, so this is a big achievement in itself.

Well done Priscilla!!! :clap: :rock: :points:

All the best to you and your family.

CaroLiza_fan (not famous!)

CaroLiza fan, one of my favorite people on this page- THANK YOU! You are awesome! I hope you like the piece.

A bit on Jason Brown and one on Gordeeva and Grinkov got left on the cutting room floor- sad about that.

and a whole paragraph about current skaters from Liza to Hanyu was also cut.

Hopefully i can use those somewhere else at some point.

Big Virtual Hugs.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I'm dying to know how CaroLiza_fan snagged a copy of Redbook all the way in the UK...I didn't realize that was a popular magazine there, LOL.

On the other hand, in the US, I had to go to four different stores before I found a copy. Ha! The issue is a good one actually, the strength training circuit is perfect for my attempts at post-partum strength training. (I've only been running up to now)

Priscilla, I enjoyed the article and hearing how figure skating affected you and your sons on a personal level. I think that with all the discussion about how to get audiences back into skating, I think we often forget that it often comes down to connection on an emotional level, something that COP doesn't always achieve.
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
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I have to admit, I am also a little surprised (and glad) that Redbook is still around .... but more glad they will have this article:agree:

And @WeakAnkles, I also dove first for "Can this marriage be saved?" in the "women's" magazines. Because I was 14 and knew so much about marriage.:laugh2:
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
I'm dying to know how CaroLiza_fan snagged a copy of Redbook all the way in the UK...I didn't realize that was a popular magazine there, LOL.

On the other hand, in the US, I had to go to four different stores before I found a copy. Ha! The issue is a good one actually, the strength training circuit is perfect for my attempts at post-partum strength training. (I've only been running up to now)

Priscilla, I enjoyed the article and hearing how figure skating affected you and your sons on a personal level. I think that with all the discussion about how to get audiences back into skating, I think we often forget that it often comes down to connection on an emotional level, something that COP doesn't always achieve.

Thank you, Mrs. P! Yes, the connection on an emotional level is key. I had a big bit about Jason that emphasized this.
 

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset
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Aug 12, 2014
Country
United-States
Wow, wow, wordsworthgirl. I'm so happy that you had the opportunity, pitched your love of figure skating so effectively, and have brought the article into existence.:hap93:

It's middle of the night:bed: and Sleepless here, so I can't run right out to find a Redbook, but I will remedy that soon! Congratulations. I also like your original title better, but it isn't surprising that a mainstream magazine would pragmatize and dull it down. (sigh). Anyway, the important thing is that it's in the magazine! Who knows how many people your article may influence to watch or begin to love the sport. I love it that you took it from the point of view of the benefits of watching. Can't wait to read it.
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
My Mom used to get the big three of the "ladies" magazines when I was growing up: Redbook, Good Housekeeping and Ladies Home Journal (I was always waiting for an article called This Marriage Can't Be Saved...and Everybody's Happier for Deciding That!). And yes, I used to read them all (I was and am a compulsive reader). Nice to hear Redbook is still around and congrats on the publication. As you noted, it is rare for a national magazine to cover skating when it is not an Olympic season. Looking forward to reading it!

Weak Ankles- you are hilarious! and I so appreciate your support.
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Wow, wow, wordsworthgirl. I'm so happy that you had the opportunity, pitched your love of figure skating so effectively, and have brought the article into existence.:hap93:

It's middle of the night:bed: and Sleepless here, so I can't run right out to find a Redbook, but I will remedy that soon! Congratulations. I also like your original title better, but it isn't surprising that a mainstream magazine would pragmatize and dull it down. (sigh). Anyway, the important thing is that it's in the magazine! Who knows how many people your article may influence to watch or begin to love the sport. I love it that you took it from the point of view of the benefits of watching. Can't wait to read it.

Skylark, thank you!!! Yes, they cut a bunch of stuff about the artistic beauty of the sport and my appreciation of it from that standpoint and how watching it helped me become a better writer. They steered me towards watching it with my family (my dad, sister, husband, and now kids) and how it's great to share and learn from. I saved the stuff they cut and hope to use it in another piece someday.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and sweetness!
 

CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
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Oct 25, 2012
Country
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I'm dying to know how CaroLiza_fan snagged a copy of Redbook all the way in the UK...I didn't realize that was a popular magazine there, LOL.

Simple answer: I didn't! The photo I linked to came from Priscilla's Facebook Page! :p :laugh:

Confession time - I had never even heard tell of Redbook magazine until I read this thread. And I don't think it is available here. (Of the magazines weakankles mentioned, "Good Housekeeping" is the only one I have heard tell of, and that is because there is a UK edition of it).

However, I have been looking for the magazine on eBay, and there are copies of it on sale there already. But, the postage to the UK is making them VERY expensive (It's a bad sign when the postage is more than double the asking price). So, I think I'll wait until a digital version is available.

CaroLiza fan, one of my favorite people on this page- THANK YOU! You are awesome! I hope you like the piece.

A bit on Jason Brown and one on Gordeeva and Grinkov got left on the cutting room floor- sad about that.

and a whole paragraph about current skaters from Liza to Hanyu was also cut.

Hopefully i can use those somewhere else at some point.

Big Virtual Hugs.

Awww, Priscilla! Thank you for those kind words. You're making me blush! :eek::

What???!!! Gordeeva and Grinkov got the chop???!!! :eek: That is not right! :disapp:

I was thinking that maybe it was because quite a bit of water has gone under the bridge since they were around (after all, it is 20 years since Sergei died). But, when current skaters were cut as well, this is clearly not the reason.

Being brutally honest, given how she is doing this season, I'm not really surprised that Liza got the cut. But everybody loves Yuzuru and Jason, so I am surprised that they ended up on the cutting room floor as well.

Oh well. As I said before, it is an achievement in itself to get a figure skating article into a non-specialised outlet. So, I think we should be happy enough with that. :biggrin:

From somebody who does not have a writing/publishing background, there is something I am wondering. If you write an article, and it gets published, does the publication now "own" the article? I mean to say, are the publishers able to prevent you from posting it on, say, your website, or your Facebook page, or an internet forum? And if they do have a copyright over it, does that just cover the article as it was published, or the un-abridged version as well?

Just curious.

Again, thank you for the compliments, and all the best

CaroLiza_fan
 

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset
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Joined
Aug 12, 2014
Country
United-States
Skylark, thank you!!! Yes, they cut a bunch of stuff about the artistic beauty of the sport and my appreciation of it from that standpoint and how watching it helped me become a better writer. They steered me towards watching it with my family (my dad, sister, husband, and now kids) and how it's great to share and learn from. I saved the stuff they cut and hope to use it in another piece someday.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and sweetness!

You're welcome. I appreciate your appreciation.:luv17: As for the parts that were cut, hmmm. It sounds like they could be put together for a writer's magazine. For instance, The Writer has some pages that are made up of short pieces of several paragraphs. The part that Redbook cut sounds very inspirational. In fact, it could apply to other endeavors as well, how watching could help one become a better (fill in the blank).
 

stella luna

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 3, 2012
I read this at the bookstore today. Good job! And Tai and Randy broke my heart, too, when they withdrew from the Olympics.

I would have considered buying the magazine had your article been longer.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
It is a wonderful thing that a major magazine is running an article about skating when it is not an Olympic year! Thanks so much for sharing this info. Now I have to go :eek:ut and buy a magazine :cheer: And thanks so much for writing it.
 
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