Amanda Gee talks about her job as a chief sub-editor for HORSE magazine
Amanda Gee works as the chief sub-editor on HORSE magazine. She has worked within publishing since graduating from university in 1997.
“I always wanted to work in media, although I did consider becoming a vet when I was younger, but unfortunately I was no good at chemistry.”
Amanda has always been horsey – she attended her first hunt aged three on a Shetland. She joined her local Pony Club and went on to event at affiliated level. She sold her competition horse when she started her A Levels. She still owns one horse, who she enjoys hacking.
Amanda took A Levels in English, French and Geography before going onto the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester where she studied International Agricultural and Equine Business Management.
Useful work experience
During her three years at Cirencester, Amanda secured some work experience on GALLOP magazine. After graduating she went back to work on GALLOP as an editorial assistant.
“I was there for aboutsix months and thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Amanda. “It was an excellent position that was very hands on. I organised photo shoots, and got to do some writing and interviews.”
When the magazine was shut down Amanda moved to a walking magazine called Trail, but she really wanted to work in equestrian journalism and became a magazine assistant on Horse & Hound three months later.
“Three months after I started working on Horse & Hound I was promoted to production editor. I received good training and then went on to work for Shooting Times.”
Amanda worked as chief sub-editor on Shooting Times for 18 months before taking the job of chief sub-editor on HORSE Magazine. She is now based in the HORSE magazine offices in a 29-story towerblock in Blackfriars, London
Her job as chief sub-editor includes:
- Working with the editor to decide the magazine’s content and layout
- Assigning articles to staff and freelancewriters
- Checking copy for content, spelling, grammar and style
- Rewriting features where necessary, and writing original articles
- Final check of pages before they are sent to the printers
“The position on HORSE gives me the chance to combine writing with my love of horses,” says Amanda.
