Just recently I saw a job offer for a writer to work on the health magazine Men’s Fitness. Being interested in such matters I read the ad. It was for a staff writer to write and edit the Nutrition and Health sections of the magazine. Ok? So far so good.
Now here’s the bit that cheeses me off. Apparently to be a successful and valued health writer at Men’s Fitness you… “don’t need to be an expert on health matters, but you do need a proven record of producing sharp, witty and accurate copy for a consumer title.”
How one can produce accurate copy without being an expert is beyond me. I understand the need for sharp, witty copy. BUT to call for a health writer that does not need to be an expert on nutrition and health matters is simply an outrage.
Time and time again I read either half-truths or outright errors, particularly concerning nutrition, in articles written in magazines such as this. It drives me crazy. No wonder many people don’t know who or what to believe. People are writing about health matters that are obviously not qualified to do so.