Hat’s all folks…

Today is a sad day, because after many happy years, I am hanging up my Sorted hat. And what a lovely hat it has been.

I got involved with the magazine by ‘cappy accident’ back in 2008. I was working alongside a wonderful office manager called Bekah (now editor of sister magazine Liberti) at the time. 

Bekah had met and fallen in love with well-known entertainer Steve Legg (who, incidentally, had paid a very memorable visit to the church I attended as a child).

Never one to miss an opportunity, it was during a hat-wearing opportunity (their wedding) that Steve mentioned Sorted to me, and I was instantly intrigued. I started off writing the odd bit of copy, and before I knew it I was deputy editor (following a brief stint as sports editor, which has since been taken over by the far more qualified Stuart Weir).

There have been so many highlights for me at Sorted, not least of all my ‘hobble up the cobbles’ on the set of Coronation Street with Andrew Lancel, hilarious interviews with comedians Tim Vine, Milton Jones and Andy Kind, and – to cap it all – a heart-stopping interview with Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell (read this in full in the latest issue).

We’ve covered a range of subjects from pornography and domestic violence to man bras, online dating and toilet roll positioning, and I’ve learnt a lot (some details are best kept under my hat!). I’ve been proud to be part of a magazine that champions men’s issues in a sensitive way without needing to dumb down or plaster the pages with boobs.

And it’s been thrilling to see the magazine progress and prosper. The latest Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures show that while sales of lads’ mags are generally in decline, magazines such as Sorted and Men’s Health are holding their own and even gaining ground. This suggests that men are moving away from the babes and taking a step towards the more wholesome and inspiring magazines. Hurrah!

It’s been a privilege to edit the copy of some really great writers. And even though I haven’t met many of our contributors, I feel like I’ve come to know them pretty well just by reading their insights and adding the odd comma and apostrophe along the way. From finance to fitness to faith, the content has been both informative and refreshing. Oh, and I mustn’t forget to tip my hat to designer Andy Ashdown, who is as patient as he is creative. He has been a real pleasure to work with.

The team at Sorted has grown and blossomed since I came on board and it’s been a real privilege to be part of it. I take my hat off to Steve and Bekah. The vision they have for the magazines (and for life in general) is really contagious and I know that this is only the beginning.

Although sad to be moving on, I’m glad to be passing the baton to talented journalist Stacey Hailes. I am confident that she’ll love the job as much as I have and will see the magazine rise to even higher heights.

Please keep reading and supporting Sorted and Liberti. Although I’ll be wearing a different hat (or maybe even a hotchpotch of hats) from now on, I will continue to promote both magazines, and I hope you’ll do the same. If you’re not yet a subscriber, that would be a great first step…

Oh, and if you want to keep in touch or you’re looking for a writer/editor, contact me on joyediting@gmail.com, visit my website, Joy of Editing, or follow me on Twitter @joyous25.

And hat’s a wrap.