Hello everyone and welcome back to Advice Cred — a comprehensive online resource designed by the folks at Film Cred to answer some prominent FAQs about film criticism. Despite feeling rather insular at times, the film writing space is filled with a ton of collective knowledge and expertise that we want to trickle down to younger, newer writers, which is why today we talked to Catherine Benstead over at Hear Us Scream, one of the best places online for in-depth discussions about the horror films you love.
FC: Hi! Can you please introduce yourself and where you’ve worked as an editor?
CB: Hello! My name is Catherine Benstead and I am the Co-Editor of Hear Us Scream: The Voices of Horror anthology series and Hear Us Scream online. This is my first professional (loosely use this term) experience as an editor. In the past my editing experience was within the marketing and public relations space where I was editing and writing social media copy, editing and writing press releases, and helping edit marketing pitches and campaigns.
FC: How did you get started in editing?
CB: For me I have always been a writer, so I started with editing my own writing which in turn opened me to other opportunities such as editing university social research programs and outlines for our university’s ethics board. Once I started my full-time job, I was editing marketing and public relations materials. This gave me the confidence that I needed to move into book editing and now editing for Hear Us Scream alongside my Co-Editor, Violet Burns.
FC: How do you balance feedback to your writers?
CB: When editing Hear Us Scream: The Voices of Horror Volume I, we found that the most effective way to provide feedback was through editing suggestions on Google Drive, but also providing feedback in a dot point format under their essay. In these dot points, we would highlight areas that needed some additional work (run-on sentences, repetitive anecdotes, descriptive language). We would provide comments that asked questions for the writer to think about that would contribute to their discussion of a specific point they were making. This process helped us understand how writers respond to a positive method of providing feedback while also providing critique of their writing.
For the website we are chronically positive! We have been able to balance the feedback with providing commentary on the elements that they did really well. We believe that by providing this level of support and also positive reinforcement helps to develop their writing and also helps to provide them with an experience that helps them to reflect on their writing.
FC: How do you support your writers’ growth?
CB: As we are a volunteer-run organisation at the moment, we try to provide writers with as many opportunities as possible. We are highly in tune with the types of film that our writers like and the opportunities that we think that they would be the best writer for. We recently covered Tribeca and Chattanooga Film Festival, and I was so proud to be able to offer writers an opportunity to watch the films on the festival circuit.
In regards to growth, we have offered to write recommendations for festival applications so that the writer can represent themselves. I always want to do whatever I can to ensure that the writer is able to move on from here and work at the outlet of their dreams. One of our writers from the anthology series recently started working with Fangoria as a contributing editor (way to go, Blayne). We are so proud of every move that people make in our community that I want to be a sounding board, provide positive and developmental feedback, and also push them to go and apply and pitch to their dream outlets. I will always be the loud cheerleader up the back screaming for that hail mary and their writing careers.
FC: What do you think the structure of a good review should be?
CB: This definitely differs from person to person. I’m more of a traditional review writer myself, so introduction, plot, movie details, characters, and then discussions of what was enjoyable and what wasn’t. It’s a no-fail way to discuss film. However, when reading, I love an in depth and explorative review — let me know themes and techniques. I should probably bring that into my own reviews; I have been experimenting lately. I think I have been a stickler for the traditional route as it was what I was taught in university.
FC: What is a grammar/spelling mistake that annoys you?
CB: As an Australian, it’s always difficult to come across the American spelling of words. I always stumble, as I want the grammar and spelling to be reflective of the writer. So if the writer is British, I make sure that I switch to British spelling. It’s not that annoying, but it’s probably the one thing that ticks me sometimes when I am trying to get through something quick and have forgotten to spelling switch.
FC: How long do you think a writer should wait before checking in on a pitch they sent in?
CB: Typically I would say give it 3-5 days. This gives the editor time to have a look and if they haven’t, you’ve nudged them and reminded them that you have sent through an email. It’s professional courtesy for an editor to respond, therefore, I believe that it’s professional courtesy to give them a buzz and remind them to get back to you.
FC: What do you expect in a pitch?
CB: For your editorial pitch to be solid there are a few things I would expect to see.
- Thesis statement: what are you going to discuss in your piece?
- Timeline needed: will discuss this further in the deadlines section.
- An outline: send through a 3-5 sentence brief of what you are going to discuss. We want to know you have thought this through and have a solid idea of what your piece is going to be about. In this we would also expect the writer to include what movies or media they will be including in their piece.
- Resources: do you need anything from us? Transcription? Interview access? We want to be able to help out in any way that we can.
We don’t expect people to send a very large email through to us. We prefer a small paragraph outlining the general concept and the films that will be included. If it is a pre-written editorial, we are more than happy for a sample paragraph to be shared.
FC: How strict are you on deadlines?
CB: Due to us being a volunteer-run outlet, we don’t implement strict deadlines on pieces like editorials or analysis. We do expect that if someone has taken on a review that has an embargo that they will work towards the embargo. The communication between the team is always on point so we have been able to take on reviews that someone hasn’t been able to.
FC: Do you have any advice for aspiring editors?
CB: Reach out to small outlets that you want to work with and see if they need a hand. When reaching out to outlets, put together a portfolio of your own writing. Personal writing is a strong indicator of the editing work that can be done. I would also recommend looking for internships. I am not that well-versed in programs in the States, but I am sure that there are fantastic summer programs for small publications, magazines, news outlets, and so many more.
FC: Do you have any advice for aspiring film critics?
CB: Take a leap and reach out to your favourite outlets or get your foot in the door through smaller, independently run outlets. There are so many amazing film critic outlets out there that there would be amazing opportunities ready and waiting. Pulling together some sample writing would be ideal: show that outlet what they could be gaining from your writing. I also recommend creating a Letterboxd account and leaving small reviews on there and logging the films you’ve been watching. Social media can be important, so having a critic account that is separate from your personal would be helpful; connect with other film lovers. I see so many opportunities come up on Twitter, so I recommend starting there.
FC: Are there any books or articles that you would recommend a new writer read?
CB: On Writing by Stephen King and “Make Good Art” by Neil Gaiman.
I also recommend new writers to just read. Read everything: fiction, non-fiction, movie scripts, EVERYTHING! Reading helps a writer to hone in on their skills and help develop their understanding of writing. I think it’s really important.
FC: What do you think are some common misconceptions about editing and editors that permeate writing spaces?
CB: There seems to be a misconception that you must be a professional or that you have to be university-educated in editing and literature/writing. I believe that this is typically an outsider misconception that is projected onto the writing community. This in turn leaves entry-level editors and writers with a sense of impostor syndrome, that they don’t belong because they don’t meet the expectations of those who are on the outside looking in on writing spaces. In my own experience, I felt that I wasn’t worthy of establishing myself as an editor because I didn’t have much experience (only copywriting, editing press releases, etc.). It took quite some time to shake that misconception that I had projected onto myself and my ability and prove that idea wrong.
FC: What are some skills that you’ve learned in your time as an editor that have translated over seamlessly to other aspects of your life?
CB: This year I became a high school History and Social Science (sociology and legal studies) teacher. The skills that I have gained through editing have helped me become a clearer communicator, being able to offer grammar support to students who are asking for help, and being able to use new writing tools to help students. I have been able to become more confident when answering questions on structure, essay writing, report writing, and even speech writing. Editing has helped me hone the skills that I need to be a better educator through communication.
FC: What are some of the best ways that editors can help to cultivate a culture of inclusivity within the world of film crit?
CB: Hear Us Scream has always been a place that welcomes every level of contributing writer. We don’t say no to writers who are only starting out in the hope that we are a launching platform for their next move in film crit and analysis. We are always thoughtful of people’s mental health, their needs in communicating with editors (whether it be verbal or via email), and ensuring that they are always welcome within our Discord community. Cultivating a culture of inclusivity should be one of the first parts of the puzzle that editors work towards when establishing their own culture and environment for their writers. Inclusivity is easy but the work to ensure that there is a shared goal within the team is where the hard work comes in. Writing and editing teams always need to be on the same page about human rights; about gender inclusivity; respecting pronouns and names; using the appropriate and expected terms when writing about movies, books, etc. Once that has been established, the team will all work towards that common goal. The feeling of relief that comes over me when a team member thanks me for their experiences working with our team certainly lets me know that I am on the right track to modeling respect, appropriate behaviour, acceptance, and love within the Hear Us Scream community.
For more of Cat’s contributions on film and horror, as well as those of co-editor Violet Burns, follow them on Twitter @HearUsScreamm and check out their website at hearusscream.com! As for more advice useful to writers, editors, and everyone in between, make sure to check out film-cred.com/advice.
