Episode #68: Esther Crain
Esther Crain is the deputy editor at Health.com. She’s built a career as an editor and content strategist in health and wellness, writing and editing news and features at digital sites such as LearnVest, Yahoo Parenting, and Shape.com. She started in consumer print magazines and spent a decade as the health editor at Cosmopolitan and also served as senior health and fitness editor at Glamour.
In her editorial role at Health.com, Esther Crain has developed narrative features that reflect the hidden health experiences of people today. Focusing on women who have been diagnosed with invisible illnesses, as well as women who have been misdiagnosed, she looks for stories that are relatable and help shine a light on different conditions and experiences navigating the world of healthcare. On today’s episode, Esther and I talk about what led to her interest in health publishing and how her team chooses which stories to feature. We also have a really interesting discussion about her own experience with endometriosis, and why she doesn’t think of herself as having an invisible illness (while emphasizing that, for many women, endometriosis is absolutely an invisible illness that can be debilitating). Finally, we talk about the power of personal narrative, and how the humanity in stories can really make them hit home.
“There’s a lot of people out there who are struggling and they want to share their world, and we want to help them share it.”
Here are some of the things Esther and I chatted about:
The magazines and newspapers she created for her parents when she was a little kid
What was attractive to her about health publishing and why it was such a good fit
The stories relating to misdiagnosis and invisible illness she focuses on at Health.com
How stories about health often also focus on what it’s like to navigate the world of healthcare
The conference she attended recently that was focused on improving diagnostic medicine
How Health.com chooses stories to feature, and why they’re important to bring to readers
The way that video, particularly selfie-style video, helps audiences relate to health stories
The factors that motivate people to be featured in media that focuses on health and illness
Being diagnosed with endometriosis ten years ago, and the cyclical nature of her symptoms
Why she doesn’t view her condition, specifically as it plays out in her life, as an invisible illness
Looking ahead, her goals for Health.com, including a focus on healthcare and caregiving
Why sharing stories not only makes people feel less alone, but also broadens our empathy
How you can submit your story for consideration to Health.com, by emailing:
misdiagnosed@health.com
invisibleillness@health.com
“It’s the personal narrative that I think really draws me and other readers in.”
Listen Here: iTunes / Spotify / Stitcher / Google Play / Overcast
Check out my feature in the Health.com invisible illness series here.
Follow Esther and Health.com: Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
P.S. Interested in the greeting card I mentioned? Check out Emily McDowell’s empathy cards.
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