Sarah McNaughton
Executive Editor, Livestrong
What was your path to becoming an editor?
I've known I wanted to work with words since I was about 9 or 10, so my path here was pretty single-minded. When I was really young I wanted to be a reporter who covered politics, but after my dad died from cancer when I was 17 I became passionate about people having access to accurate and science-backed health information. So as I went through undergrad and grad school for journalism, I naturally kept gravitating toward health and science writing. After I got my master's degree, I took the first steady journalism gig I could get, which luckily turned out to be at a health website. I quickly learned that my extreme perfectionism is not ideal for churning out lots and lots of stories each day, but that attention to detail is crucial for editors, so I went into editing.
How and when did you learn to write? Do you think writing can be taught?
I made my first "newspaper" when I was 5 ("The Sarah News") by finding interesting entries about animals in my family's Encyclopedia Britannica set and copying them out onto pieces of construction paper that I would then roll up, tie with string, and throw into my neighbors' yards. So I guess you could say I first learned how to write through plagiarism, which probably isn't great, but there it is.
Kidding aside, I wrote a lot of poetry and short stories when I was in elementary school as a way to entertain myself. I loved playing with words and phrases (still do) — what happens if you pair this verb and this noun together, what words sound funny next to each other, what's fun to say out loud, etc. I also read a lot and wanted to write like my favorite authors, so I think the combo of experimenting with language and trying to emulate others is how I first learned to write. Then throughout school I wrote a lot, received lots of feedback from teachers and peers, and then wrote even more based on the feedback I received. That loop of "write, get feedback, write some more" was key for me.
I definitely think writing can be taught — especially nonfiction writing — but I don't think voice can be taught. That's something every writer has to find and develop on their own.
Who are your biggest inspirations within the space?
This might not be the answer you're looking for, but Nellie Bly is probably the person who's inspired me the most throughout my career. Reminding myself of her relentless determination to be an investigative journalist at a time when women weren't even able to vote yet has helped me push forward many times when I've felt discouraged. If we're talking about more modern-day inspiration, I've always been in awe of Sarah Kliff. Her coverage and knowledge of health care and policy is unparalleled.
What is your brand’s mission? Who are you seeking to impact?
LIVESTRONG.com's mission is to help all people — regardless of age, race, ability, weight, gender identity, or income level — make informed decisions about their health. We strive to be an authoritative and reliable resource for anyone who is looking to feel and live better, whether that's through nutrition, fitness, weight management or more general lifestyle changes. I care deeply about giving people the facts they need to be healthy, and recognizing that "healthy" looks different for everybody. Helping each reader find their individual version of healthy is my goal.
What is the most challenging aspect of maintaining your particular brand’s voice?
Finding the balance between friendly and authoritative is a challenge. You want to make sure the information you're presenting to the reader is easy to understand, interesting, and accurate, which can be especially difficult when you're dealing with more complex medical concepts or research.
How has COVID affected your editorial strategy? What is something you’ve learned from this new normal?
In some ways the pandemic has greatly improved our understanding of what kind of information our readers truly want and need. As our worlds have become smaller and simpler, our interest in "back to basics" content has surged: how to cook, how to exercise, how to meditate, and so on. We always pay close attention to data and reader feedback, but since early March we've been especially focused on both to make sure we're fulfilling readers' needs.
What do you think will be the greater impact on journalism?
I think and hope that publishers and publications will continue to prioritize facts. The past few months have shown how important it is to have qualified, trustworthy sources of information, because right now the difference between facts and myths is — sometimes quite literally — life or death. I also hope that there will continue to be a bit of a return to "lanes" — knowing what your publication is good at and focused on and putting all your energy and resources into doing that as well and as factually as you possibly can.
What feedback have you gotten from your readers that is new/different than before?
There's a lot more interest in and need for fitness articles than nutrition articles right now, which makes sense — I'd much rather move around and be active in order to stay healthy than have to give up my comfort food right now.
What are you currently reading?
"Severance" by Ling Ma. I'm really enjoying it, although it is a little eerie given everything that's happening right now.
How important is it to have mentors during this new journalistic landscape? Can you describe your ideal mentor relationship?
Navigating the digital media industry without some form of mentor relationship would be so difficult. Even before COVID-19, this space was changing and growing so quickly that it would be impossible to keep up with it all on your own, especially if you're still learning the basics. I've had several mentor-like figures in my career and they've each taught me very different but equally important lessons. I think my ideal mentor relationship would be pretty unstructured, just having someone to bounce ideas off of and joke with. A little humor always helps.
Knowing that news breaks on social media, whether it's a new government policy or the latest celeb pregnancy announcement, how does your team use social media to report on the story?
Our focus is service, so we use social media to keep tabs on trends and breaking stories, but it's also useful for connecting with experts and learning what questions and concerns readers have that we can then be sure to answer in our articles.