Despite living with four guys, I do have a domestic side, which is why I reached for the copy of Real Simple to examine. At first I was impressed with the layout and images. The thick magazine is broken into sections like beauty, health, home, money and food. Food was by far my favorite, the bold pictures and simple recipes especially appealed to me. (Even though, I have to say I was disappointed to find a page of recipes ripped out!)
There was a lot of information stuffed into this magazine, from kitchen gadget I didn’t even know existed to money saving tips, Real Simple really had it all. I understand the allure of this magazine, the layout makes it simple for reader to find what they are looking for and fast. However, I was not impressed by the content. After paging though the magazine cover to cover I noticed a lack of quality content.
As the lifestyle editor for The Brown and White, I have quickly learned the difference between content that takes time and content that is placed in a fluff or filler. The excessive amount of top ten lists and how-to guides along with the difficulty I had finding longer features made me think the editors of Real Simple are just real lazy. This magazine would have benefitted from some balance of its content – a few more investigative or narrative pieces and a few less guides and lists.
Maybe my attitude about Real Simple is because I am not the target reader. I could see myself with a subscription in ten or twenty years when I have a family and just want to know what the best way to clean my laundry room is or incorporate grey tones in my living room and don’t have time for 3,000 word features. But as a young reader looking to enter the journalism industry I demand a little more substance in my magazines, or at least a few more words.
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