Carla Sosenko, Marketing Expert in New York, NY, United States
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Carla Sosenko

Verified Expert  in Marketing

Marketing Expert

New York, NY, United States

Toptal member since June 5, 2024

Bio

Carla is a writer and editor with 20 years in print and digital media. With experience working in capacities as editor-in-chief of Time Out New York and executive editor of Entertainment Weekly, she also acted as the ghostwriter for TikToker Melissa Pateras' 2023 book A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home. Carla has freelanced with brands ranging from Popular Science to DoorDash to help craft punchy, addictive, and organic sponsored content optimized for search and social.

Project Highlights

Freelance Writer and Editor, Popular Science
I pitched, assigned, wrote, edited, and optimized affiliate round-ups. I used keyword research via JungleScout to choose topics and products with the best search.
Freelance Writer, The New York Times
I pitched, reported, and wrote stories for different verticals of the Times, including Well and Travel.
Staff Editor
I worked in multiple positions in print and digital media, including copy chief, managing editor, executive editor, and editor-in-chief.

Expertise

Work Experience

Writer, Editor, and Copywriter

2018 - PRESENT
Self-employed
  • Worked with various brands and clients across multiple industries, including DoorDash and Caviar, People, Popular Science, Scholastic, Sweetn, and Penguin Random House.
  • Stepped in as a full-time contract executive editor to cover maternity leaves and other open positions.
  • Mastered the brand tone to turn around tight copy on short deadlines for big companies and solo clients alike.
  • Pitched, reported, and wrote essays, round-ups, celebrity interviews, recaps, and reviews for publications including Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Self, Refinery29, and Well+Good.
  • Ghostwrote Melissa Dilkes Pateras' debut book, A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home, which made the Best Nonfiction list on Amazon.
  • Completed and sold my memoir, Such a Pretty Face, to Dial Press. It will be published in the spring of 2025.
  • Moderated panels and Q&As for organizations including The Paley Center, SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and the 92nd Street Y. Interviewees included Gal Gadot, Jessica Biel, Kate Bosworth, and Chloë Grace Moretz.

Deputy Editor

2018 - 2020
Us Weekly
  • Treated, assigned, and wrote features for the Well and top-edited every page of the print magazine.
  • Supervised a small team of staff writers and stringers, art directors, and photo editors.
  • Trained green journalists through constant feedback, edits, revisions, and check-ins.
  • Coordinated with the digital, video, marketing, and sales teams to successfully deliver content on every platform.

Executive Editor

2017 - 2018
Entertainment Weekly
  • Oversaw the Must List, Music, Stage, and News and Notes verticals and spearheaded multiple celebrity interviews and shoots.
  • Headed up EW's biggest special issues, including Best and Worst and Untold Stories. Pitched, commissioned, wrote, and edited features for print and digital platforms.
  • Worked on sponsored special projects, like EW's Binge Guide, driving conversions and new subscriptions.
  • Represented the brand on national television and PeopleTV, formerly the People Entertainment Network. Interviewed many guests on PeopleTV, including Glenn Close, Eddie Izzard, Kristen Bell, and Emma Roberts.
  • Departed my post when EW relocated to Los Angeles, staying on to see the brand through the transition.

Editor-in-chief

2014 - 2017
Time Out
  • Managed all KPIs of the print magazine, the website, social, video, and the newsletter, working with the national and global editorial teams, including marketing and sales, and the executive vice president to strategize content across all products.
  • Worked with professionals, from executives in the C-suite to entry-level editorial assistants, on company issues big and small, including team morale, fair hiring practices, pay equity, and staff recognition.
  • Interviewed, hired, and mentored green journalists and marketers.
  • Promoted from my role as deputy editor, which included supervising the digital content director.

Managing Editor

2005 - 2014
Bauer Publishing
  • Worked as copy chief and managing editor at Life & Style and its sister publication, InTouch Weekly. I simultaneously served as copy chief and managing editor for Life & Style.
  • Created maps, liaised between the ad sales and editorial teams, enforced all deadlines and schedules across both magazines and ensured the copy was error-free and stylistically sound, which included updating our style guide.
  • Pitched, treated, and edited stories for the well and back sections of the book.
  • Promoted to acting executive editor when that role was vacated.

Freelance Writer and Editor, Popular Science

https://www.popsci.com/authors/carla-sosenko/

I pitched, assigned, wrote, edited, and optimized affiliate round-ups. I used keyword research via JungleScout to choose topics and products with the best search.

I was part of a team of freelance writers and editors who worked on Camden, originally Bonnier, properties, including Popular Science, Interesting Things, and BetterYou affiliate content covering products from beauty and fashion to tech and sporting equipment. My background in weekly magazines and digital publishing meant that keeping up with a giant weekly quota of stories on deadlines came naturally.

Freelance Writer, The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/by/carla-sosenko

I pitched, reported, and wrote stories for different verticals of the Times, including Well and Travel.

Sometimes, I pitch stories that I'm passionate about, including plus-size travel, and other times, my editor will assign a story I have no background in, like sleep tourism. Over weeks or months, I researched and scouted sources to report and write long-form features that deliver major traffic.

Staff Editor

https://www.carlasosenko.com/

I worked in multiple positions in print and digital media, including copy chief, managing editor, executive editor, and editor-in-chief.

As a senior editor for various prestigious publications, including roles as editor-in-chief at Time Out New York, executive editor at Entertainment Weekly, and deputy editor at Us Weekly, I oversaw the organic content KPIs for each brand. I managed teams of writers, designers, photo editors, video editors, and social managers. I worked with marketing and sales to create successful events, ad campaigns, eCommerce stories, branded content and publicity, creating stories, and top-editing all print articles. I was the public face of each brand, frequently appearing on local and national TV as an expert in pop culture, entertainment, and leisure.
1999 - 2001

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Emerson College - Boston, MA, USA

1994 - 1998

Bachelor's Degree (Magna Cum Laude) in English

Boston University - Boston, MA, USA

1994 - 1998

Bachelor's Degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Journalism

Boston University - Boston, MA, USA

Core

Writing & Editing, Google SEO, SEO Tools, Social Media Marketing, Marketing Design, Branding

Platforms & Tools

Adobe InDesign, Content Management Systems (CMS)

Other

Adobe InDesign, Reporting, Teaching, Content Writing, Interviewing, Affiliate Marketing, WordPress Development, Squarespace Development, Slack Development, Business Intelligence Development, Website Traffic, Branded Content, Events, Books, E-commerce marketing, Digital Newsletters

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