By Kelsey Mulvey
If you’re not already watching The Bold Type, we recommend you do, stat.
Not only did the show get renewed for a second and third season, it received the magazine industry’s seal of approval, too.
Movies and TV shows get a lot of flack for misrepresenting the industry. On one end of the spectrum is “The Hills,” which made being a fashion intern look a lot more glamorous than it actually is. And on the other end? A cold, cutthroat environment a la The Devil Wears Prada.
The Bold Type sits somewhere in the middle, showing the good, the bad and the down-right stressful parts of working in the industry — not to mention it offers some great career advice. We asked editors and writers (who are fans of the show) what The Bold Type is getting right about the industry. Here’s what they had to say.
Your editors are your mentors
“You remember bosses like Jacqueline in The Bold Type much more. At MTV News, I worked with a brilliant editor, who I thought of when Jacqueline was revealed to not be a foe to Jane, but actually a mentor. She taught me so much about journalism, while still being a capable [and] kind boss.” — Joseph Lamour, freelance writer former Snapchat editor at MTV News
Yes, you’re going to get a little insecure about your career
“Jane’s journey as a writer felt very real to me. I was recently asked to be on a panel [and] I thought, “For real? You want me?” There’s a lot of insecurity that comes with being a young writer (young anything, really!), and I think The Bold Type does a good job of portraying the balance writers often have to strike between confidence in your ability to accomplish work and frequent feelings of being a fraud.” — Heather Mason, freelance writer
Your coworkers are your friends, not competition
“The relationship between the three girls feels realistic to me. Most of my friends are people that I’ve met through the media industry. It’s easy to form a friendship when you’re all obsessed with the same things and focused on the same goals.” — Hannah Orenstein, dating editor at Elite Daily
It’s easy to become obsessed with likes and shares
“I manage social media, and I know what it’s like to be driven by clicks, likes, and follows — and that sometimes can overtake the message — and you can get wrapped up in it yourself.” — Jenna Sauber, a digital communications strategist and writer
The location!
“I wish the show were really filmed in New York, but I have to say they got some of the sets right. The building that houses Scarlet looks a lot like the Hearst Tower (the interior, not the exterior — that’s too iconic to copy). I got chills when the first episode showed Sutton, Jane, and Kat at the West 57th Street subway stop, since that’s the station right by Hearst, where I was working at the time.” — Hannah Orenstein
We’ve all made mistakes…and you will, too
“Like Kat, I have accidentally tweeted out from a professional account about something personal — it happens. But you learn from it and move on, and generally speaking, your boss supports you (depending on what the tweet was!).” — Jenna Sauber
Kelsey Mulvey is a New York-based lifestyle writer. She has written for several publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Time Out New York, LuckyMag.com, Taste of Home, NYMag.com and Wallpaper.com. Check out more of her work at KelseyMulveyWrites.com and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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