Sarah Afshar
Covers:
Beauty, Food, Fashion, Health, Wellness, Music, Business, Travel, Politics, Philosophy, DIY, Self Help, Psychology, Crime, Technology, Science, Entertainment, Gaming, Aggregated News, Reviews, Opinion
Doesn't Cover:
Extremely Oversaturated Content, Adult Content, Extreme NSFW, Exploitation, Hate Speech, Harassment, Anything Illegal
Beauty junkie, foodie, up-cycler, conservative, nerd, business executive, and writer. Loving life, liberty, loyalty, & lip gloss. #Iranian-American. 🇮🇷🇺🇸
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I wrote for Yahoo! Voices and my content was republished on Yahoo! News.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. A long time ago. I was a child and I remember it was confusing. Do they still make them?
How is social media changing news?
In our digital age, news spreads instantly, often sacrificing accuracy for speed and leading to unverified viral content.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being the force behind my message and the face behind my voice.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I’ll have to get back to you.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I prefer email. I regard this medium as my preferred form of communication because it blends directness with indirectness.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Quite a few. Right now, I've been enjoying my iPhone memo, as it has been more helpful than ever. It's straightforward and just easy.
What's your favorite social network?
I've taken a step back from social media, but I still truly enjoy X.
Who do you wish followed you?
The people I write about.
Why did you become a journalist?
I'm inspired by words more than people. I love writing because it lets me easily express myself and inspire others.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I never did. I took maybe one writing class in high school and some English classes.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I take pride in my interviews over the years. Empowering voices through my work gives me genuine fulfillment.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Produce content you love and enjoy. Do not write about anything just because you think you'll make money from it. Evergreen is key.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime. But I usually respond in the evenings or early morning.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It came from a woman who owns her own PR firm in NYC. She began and ended her pitch with gratitude, displaying genuine kindness throughout.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
An email filled with a long list of demands—without even a simple "thank you" or "have a nice day" to close the pitch.
What's your favorite drink?
Iced Coffee, Bubble Tea, Doogh, Eggnog, Frozen Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider, Strawberry Lemonade, or Mineral Water.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At work, at the gym, at the library, in a video game, in my garage, in my kitchen, or in my bed.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Do I have to answer this question? Because I don't know if I can answer it. There are so many.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
You need professional credentials to produce quality content both for and about it.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.