Making a Career Q&A with Matador Network

In journalism it’s inevitable that you’ll be critiqued relentlessly and pushed to the absolute edge, where you feel as if one step forward can take you into a never-ending downward spiral. Until, that one moment where the light starts to peak through the darkness and hope is bringing you back on your own two feet.

I was fortunate enough to talk to, Carlo Alcos, director of Matador U, and managing editor at Matador Network. He shared with me the rawness of how he was once lost and unsure of what to do with this life, but found his way through a pastime he once overlooked.

Alcos left me with a few words to always remember- no one owes you anything.

What did you major in while in college?

I started off with business courses in college, right after high school. This was 1994. After a semester I realized I hated it so of course I went and lived in Mexico for 6 months working for the activities staff in an all-inclusive resort in San Jose Del Cabo. After I returned home to Vancouver I enrolled in a local technical institute and got my Electronics Technology diploma in telecommunications. Yeah, I had no idea what I wanted to do.

Did you always know you wanted to write for a print/digital publication, or did you have other aspirations in mind? 

Again, I had no idea what I wanted to do (does anyone at that age?). I spent my 20’s working for a telecomm giant doing desktop support, the whole office/cubicle 9-5 thing. I've always enjoyed writing and had taken some creative writing classes in high school. I used to write a satirical sports column for a ball hockey team I played on which people seemed to get a kick out of. When I quit my job in 2007 to go travelling and live in Australia with my ex-wife that's when I started to think more about my writing... I was keeping a blog and sending emails home and I got a lot of positive feedback from friends and family about my writing.

What made you start writing for pleasure or enjoyment?

I've always loved language and how you can manipulate it to evoke all sorts of different feelings and emotions from the reader. I consider myself fairly clever, so I get a kick out of being creative especially when other people get what I'm going for. I think that's it, really, the connection I can make with my readers. I'm not a comedian by any stretch of the imagination, and I don't even write humor, but I think I get the most satisfaction when I can make other people laugh, or at least laugh at themselves and not take themselves so seriously.

How did you start to get your work recognized by publication? Did you use a blog, sent out multiple emails, etc.?

I was keeping a blog at the time, but I never used it to get "recognized." It was purely for my own creative outlet and for my friends and family to read, and to record what was going in my life at the time. Before I pitched an article to Matador I'd been reading the site for a few months, all the while thinking, I could do that. And one day I did. I sent in an article and then never heard back from anyone. After about a month I sent a follow up email...apparently the piece had gotten lost in an editor's inbox. He fished it out and ended up publishing it. That was really exciting for me. From there I started to write a bit more regularly for them.

Was there someone or something that helped push you along the way to be where you are now (managing editor)?

I started writing for Matador in 2008; it was the first paid publication experience I'd had. I joined the team in 2009 as they expanded their editorial staff - I guess they liked what they saw in my writing. I had no idea what I was doing as far as being an editor was concerned, so I paid a lot of attention to our then and current senior editor, David Miller. I've learned a lot from many people over the years at Matador, but he's taught me the most about how to effectively tell a story and come into my own voice instead of relying on lazy cliches and constructions. In short he's taught me how to be very critical of everything I read and write.

Now, you reference how David Miller guided you in such an influential way; helping you evolve into a more effective storyteller by finding your own voice and avoiding cliches. If I may ask- what were some of the strategies or techniques he taught you specifically to develop those skills?

The first and most important thing was just learning how to be critical of what I was reading (and in turn writing) through talking about it (and still to this day), looking at examples, breaking things down in fine detail. Travel media may be the guiltiest of perpetuating stereotypes and cliches. The marketing of destinations is so prevalent that it's seeped right into everyone's subconsciousness it seems...lots of what you read in travel magazines, print or online, is nothing more than unintended marketing copy. This is really problematic because it turns everything about the place - the people, the culture - into commodified goods. It all gets packaged up in a way that is marketable. What this does is detract from the truth, the actual experience, and any chance of good storytelling. Also, a lot of travel writers tend to project their own expectations and biases - they see what they went there to see, essentially, and then write about that, instead of just writing in very concrete detail the way things actually are, from an objective standpoint. There's also often a sense of self-importance and a lack of humility. It can take a long time to shed this kind of writing, you first need to recognize it in yourself, and that can be hard because of the prevalence of it. It just seems "normal."

When you first started contributing for Matador did you still write freely or did you shift gears into a narrower based topic? I have read your work for Matador [excellent by the way] and saw your niche is quite evident in travel writing. So, I wanted to know how it initially began and how you made the transition if there were one?

When I first started writing for Matador my pitches were topical...my previous blogging was essentially travelogues..."I went here and did this, saw this, experienced that." Writing articles for Matador was a new thing for me, to have to actually craft my writing around a specific topic. My first article (in 2008) was about taking public transit - how when traveling it's just a given, but when at home many of us just jump right back into our cars. The most important thing for me though was writing from my own experiences. Over the years I've written just about every format of writing...narrative, journalistic, listicles, desk-researched pieces, etc.

How long were you with Matador Network before you became managing editor?

When I was hired by Matador in 2009 it was to co-edit a section of the site, at the time called Matador Trips. Like I said, I knew nothing about editing, but I did have some experience in WordPress so was fine with all the technical stuff. I built up my editing skills over the years. There's no better way to learn than by being immersed in it. I don't remember when I became a managing editor, probably in 2012 or so.

What are you roles and obligations as managing editor? 

Matador has always been an independent, grass-roots type of organization. I was fortunate to have joined it while it was still in its infancy stages as I've been able to be a part of its growth and evolution. Roles and obligations can be hard to define in this context because everyone on the team essentially just does what needs to be done, although yes, there are definitely generalized duties we're all responsible for. Some of what I do and have done in the past includes managing contributing editors, interns, and content. Today though I do more than just editing. I also manage our creators' community at Matador U (our online travel media school) and Matador Marketplace.

Are you only working with Matador Network or are you freelancing for other publications as well?  

When I first starting working with Matador I was also freelancing at a couple of other publications. Today though it's my main gig. I may do a bit of consulting here and there.

Do you have any goals you'd still like to accomplish as a writer? As in writing for a bigger publication you've always dreamt of? 

I've been reading The Sun Magazine for several years now. They're an amazing print publication that publishes hard-hitting human stories and has survived purely on subscription fees. They’ve never had advertising. They've been going since the 70’s. One day I would love to have something published there.

I'm also getting more into fiction-writing, so would love to progress with that. In any case, a goal, like many other writers, is to one day publish a book, whether that's non-fiction or fiction.

I'm also a musician and write songs, so who knows where that will lead...

Lastly, do you have any advice for a young freelance writer like myself to break into the industry? 

Be prepared to work hard and take rejection and criticism. Don't take anything personally. Take the time to understand what a publication is about instead of blindly pitching. You're way more likely to get noticed if you pitch something that is on brand and in the style and tone of the publication. Editors can tell within a sentence or two if something is a good fit or not. Also, look at the long run and try to see the potential in any opportunity that comes your way. Prove yourself. No one owes you anything.