Roxanne Fequiere
Roxanne Fequiere
Writer / Editor / Copywriter / Co-Founder of Golly Magazine
New York, NY
www.roxannefequiere.com
instagram @roxannefequiere
twitter @roxannefequiere
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I write—headlines, blog posts, feature articles—but more accurately, I tell stories.”
Whether your story is of the “fantastical epic” or the “half-off sale” variety, I can convey your message creatively and effectively.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
Previously:
Once I realized that, despite my parents’ wishes, I was never going to be a lawyer or a doctor, I declared myself an English major and made a beeline for the arts section of The Harvard Crimson, where I immersed myself in learning to interview subjects, write art, film, book, album, and music video reviews, tackle front page pieces, and manage deadlines. Summers lent themselves to internships, most notably at Refinery29, followed by a post-college stint at Stylelikeu, where I conceptualized and produced original video content in addition to editing site copy.
Currently:
Not long after joining the eBay Fashion team as its sole copywriter, my longstanding passion for magazines combined with my ever-simmering frustration with the narrow scope of women’s interest titles came together and I co-founded Golly, an inclusive and irreverent print magazine that values and reflects diversity, from the subjects we cover to the women we feature.
All the while, I’ve been saying yes to all the interesting freelance projects that come into my inbox, expanding the copy team at eBay, where I’ve learned to write about everything from summer sandals to religious memorabilia, and keeping my ear to the ground for the next fun project.
FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR FIELD, WHAT DO THEY USUALLY LACK?
Since oftentimes I only get to see a colleague’s final product without being privy to the process that led them there, I’m a bit hesitant to hypothesize on what may be lacking without all the evidence. That being said, I have found myself in meetings with fellow writers where a lot of time gets wasted bogged down in the minutiae of say, punctuation marks, when the overall messaging leaves much to be desired. I’m happy to have a debate on the Oxford comma any day, but its usage doesn’t matter much if the copy it accompanies is awkward or dry.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
Lately, I’ve been getting (back) into writing email copy for eBay and after hours, plugging away at expanding Golly beyond print. About a year ago, I wrote a book about a smug and slightly ornery cat as a first birthday gift for a friend’s son, and I had so much fun with it, I’m now working on a children’s book proposal.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
My style—that is, the things that catch my eye and linger on my mind for a bit before reemerging in some personalized likeness—is probably best displayed in the pages of Golly, where every last article, interview, and feature is either assigned, written, or edited by me. Each issue being a massive undertaking, however, I’ve been using The Overload as a digital notebook to jot down passing thoughts and cool finds as they cross my path.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I’ll always love the process of taking an idea and bringing it to life via the written word, but lately I’ve been craving the ability to create tangible items. As a result, I’ve been signing up for sewing and illustration courses whenever I can cram them into my schedule.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
Time management and the pitfalls of procrastination, always.
Also, the older I get, the more body seems to require sleep, which is really putting a damper on my all-nighters.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
Invoices, bills, filing, invoice follow-ups…
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
“High standards are a good thing to have, but there’s not much virtue in rigidity. Roll with the punches.”—me, to myself, aged 10, because I’ve always been an eye-on-the-prize type with limited patience for the sometimes winding path it takes to get there
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
Can I do two? And do they have to be alive? Okay, William Segal and Fleur Cowles, the late editors-in-chief of Gentry and Flair magazines, respectively—two titles that continue to have a massive influence on what we do at Golly. Of course, I should probably be a bit more keen on talking to someone well-versed in analytics or ad sales, but what can I say? I’m a creative first and businesswoman second.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Something that sparks the imagination and sends me down the proverbial rabbit hole, creatively speaking.
More specifically? I would love to do any or all of the following: track down intriguing places, people, brands, historical tidbits, art, and ideas and distill their essence into great pieces of storytelling; copywriting and/or content creation for a forward-thinking e-commerce company; partner with a brand that aligns with Golly’s mission and create cool shit.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
Frequent, respectful, two-way communication, reasonable deadlines and expectations, and trust.
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
I’ve charged anywhere from $1/word to $60/hour and several points in between—it really all depends on the project and your budget.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Easy—just send me an email letting me know what your project is and how you’d like me to contribute. We can figure everything else out from there.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Daily curiosity and enthusiasm, quarterly travel.
This member profile was originally published in June 2017.