The Project for Women

Our Editor-in-Chief is currently featured on a new blog called "The Women's Project." She comments on Zooey Magazine, women's issues, and her other endeavors. 

Photography by Lauri Levenfeld

On competition: "Comparing yourself to others does not help you in any way. This is one thing I constantly have to remind others, and even myself. I don’t think it’s important to care about where your ‘competitors’ are in their journey, because it has nothing to do with your own journey. Everyone performs differently, and everyone works at different stages. By comparing yourself to others, you’ll do things that will make you lose your own integrity and your ‘authentic self.’ There’s no reason to waste your time beating yourself up, because you’re not where someone else is."

On her early accomplishments: "I’m very private about my work life. I don’t talk to friends about what I do, nor any stranger. It’s not something you say… “Hi, I run a magazine. Blah blah.” So in that case, people generally don’t know. But once in a while, when someone is tempted to do a Google search, I get some nice compliments and emails. I’m always grateful that people are excited about my journey. Frankly, I don’t think it’s nearly as great as what so many young people have done with their lives. I want to help others, that’s all. Until that happens on a massive rate, I don’t think I deserve much praise!"

Read the full story here.

Letter from the Editor: Part 2 (Issue 21)

I am overwhelmed with the kind response for the latest issue of Zooey Magazine; overwhelmed in the many senses that I am humbled and appreciative. This issue marks the 4th year Zooey has been publishing, and boy has time flown. While I am quiet about the many things that go behind the scenes of the magazine, there's one issue that I just am anxious to discuss: sharing the magazine. I don't mean you should hide it from your grandmas, I mean you should think twice before uploading full scans of the stories onto the Inter-webs. If you wouldn't rip DVDs and upload movies to share with strangers, you shouldn't publish the pages from the magazine... Or any book or magazine for that matter.

We work hard, really hard, bringing content to you in paper-form. It's a medium I've always treasured, and since publishing the magazine, I now understand the efforts that go into producing each page... From the littlest detail, to the cover. There's nothing more saddening then to see someone publish spreads from the issues, because to me, that says that the magazine isn't worth investing into. That the people behind the words, photos, designs, etc are also not worth respecting. We don't have diets of only coffee for nothing, and it pains me to see people take advantage of the "post" and "re-post" phenomenon, while the makers are brushed aside. I love the readers, and I thank them for keeping Zooey alive.

But please, support the artists and just spread the word rather than the pages. We love what we do and glad you love it too.

- Lucia Tran