LEAD LIKE AN EDITOR

An editor offers a new framework for business success.

At first, readers might be puzzled by the title of Maze’s nonfiction debut. Lead like an editor? Does that mean frantically dealing with last-minute deadlines, or pampering freelance writers who couldn’t pick a past participle out of a police lineup? The author has a more fundamental idea in mind: “All brands—from shiny tech start-ups to centuries-old banking institutions—seek new and authentic ways to connect with consumers. It’s not an easy thing to do, but for editors, it comes naturally.” Maze has worked on the staffs of several magazines (and is currently creative director at VERANDA Magazine), and in these pages he contends that the skills of editors—including meeting deadlines, reaching customers, writing good copy, and adapting to changing industries—are exactly what entrepreneurs need today to put their own stamps on their fields. In fact, Maze refers to his approach as MY STAMP, an acronym for “Mindset,” “Yourself,” “Structure,” “Team,” “Audience,” “Message,” and “Product.” As he elaborates on each of these elements, the author draws on experiences he’s had at various magazines, from a student production at Northwestern to the laid-back atmosphere at Coastal Living, where “we literally toasted ourselves at every possible occasion.” Each chapter is furnished with bullet points and key takeaways, but the book’s main strength is Maze’s upbeat, friendly presence on the page. He displays all the savvy of a magazine veteran, but none of the off-putting cynicism, which will make his advice more accessible to new entrepreneurs. Too much of his counsel feels over-familiar; he writes, “Make sure each team member is truly suited for the tasks you assign,” for instance, and “Know your audience.” But Maze makes a compelling project of mapping editorial values onto the business world—and he’ll certainly gain a few recruits to the ranks of editors.

An intriguing, genre-jumping look at the basics of management.