Not only did I own the front page of Lifestyle, I also took the front page (news) photo. It is of a WWII vet in front of a WWII memorial.
The new intern came in today, Madeline. She seems nice enough, but I find it bothersome when someone spends so much money on a college education-- she did five years at Columbia-- but somehow misses the newsroom experience. Why dont people realize that that is the most important part-- clips? By the time I graduate from UMaine I will have worked in five different news rooms as a writer.
My writing has gotten better. It takes me about two hours of reporting time and one hour of writing to get out a good story. My editor no longer has meetings with me about what she wants, though she edited a bunch of my articles recently. I know what she wants and I know how to do it well and quickly.
It isnt exactly what I want and I'll admit it has shaken my ambitions a bit, but it is getting better.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
warming up
OK, I'll admit it. I'm starting to like my job. It may be because this, my first published issue, will be a Heather-only front page of my section. Maybe. A new intern will be coming in on Tuesday and I found a friend in this nothing town.
I did the math. Right now, if I do not eat or buy gas this summer I will make $280 from this internship. My job is about to start reimbursing me for gas, so that may help.
My pigeon story came out well: front page. And my newsy projector story came out well: front page. Though my editors give me mixed advise. The lifestyle editor tells me to make things fun and flowery, but the managing editor said he doesnt like the floral crap. Now that I know that I cant make both parties happy, I think I'm just going to do it my way.
I did the math. Right now, if I do not eat or buy gas this summer I will make $280 from this internship. My job is about to start reimbursing me for gas, so that may help.
My pigeon story came out well: front page. And my newsy projector story came out well: front page. Though my editors give me mixed advise. The lifestyle editor tells me to make things fun and flowery, but the managing editor said he doesnt like the floral crap. Now that I know that I cant make both parties happy, I think I'm just going to do it my way.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
pigeon man
My editor said "I think theres a man in this town who has pigeons." With only this information I found the exact person she was talking about. I spent two hours with him and his birds today. It was amazing. One of those interviews you dont have to force. Sometimes I can just feel a story, this could be good.
I got more praise for my photography. I get the loudest ooohs and ahhhhs. Too bad my writing commands nothing but edits. The managing editor liked my photos so much he asked if I would work on Memorial Day to go to all the parades and record them. I think this is overtime pay and it will win me major brownie points with the head honcho, so I said yes.
Real interns dont get days off.
I got more praise for my photography. I get the loudest ooohs and ahhhhs. Too bad my writing commands nothing but edits. The managing editor liked my photos so much he asked if I would work on Memorial Day to go to all the parades and record them. I think this is overtime pay and it will win me major brownie points with the head honcho, so I said yes.
Real interns dont get days off.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sprouting
I knew this internship would plant little seeds along its way to try to make my writing more flowery and my words more fragrant and colorful. See? proof. Anyway, after trying three different ledes on a story about children's theater I leaned over my editor's desk. As she voiced her carefully phrased disdain for my still-not-pretty lede my leg clenched with frustration. Her point is that you must grab the readers by the balls in the first few words. Make them want more. I dont do foreplay well, I want to get right to it. I'm a news writer.
I tried to explain to my editor that I like being boring and I like telling people exactly what they need to know and turning a sheet of numbers into a story, but she laughed at me. Now I have to go talk to a man who raises homing/messenger pigeons.
I thought print journalism was black and white for a reason. According to my editor, I'm wrong. Just because the press turns my letters black doesnt mean my words have an excuse to be lackluster.
I tried to explain to my editor that I like being boring and I like telling people exactly what they need to know and turning a sheet of numbers into a story, but she laughed at me. Now I have to go talk to a man who raises homing/messenger pigeons.
I thought print journalism was black and white for a reason. According to my editor, I'm wrong. Just because the press turns my letters black doesnt mean my words have an excuse to be lackluster.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Day 3
It is my third day at the job. I've written two stories so far and am working on three or four more, plus pictures. It is a lot of work, a lot of driving and a lot of reporting.
So far, this isnt what i thought. I expected to be in a bustling newsroom where I might have to throw some elbows. Instead I'm in a silent space with computers from 1980. Although everyone was welcoming and is willing to answer questions I have, they seem defensive of the way they do things. The managing editor told me I would be a set of fresh eyes. I know that meant for articles, but its hard to do anything new with a paper which is so unwilling to change.
The two pieces I wrote were pretty good, in my opinion. My editor has yet to lend me one compliment. She wants me to be "whimsical" and write about every spec of dirt on the floor of my interviewees. I understand attention to details, but there is a point of excess and my threshold is being pushed.
I hope things get better soon.
So far, this isnt what i thought. I expected to be in a bustling newsroom where I might have to throw some elbows. Instead I'm in a silent space with computers from 1980. Although everyone was welcoming and is willing to answer questions I have, they seem defensive of the way they do things. The managing editor told me I would be a set of fresh eyes. I know that meant for articles, but its hard to do anything new with a paper which is so unwilling to change.
The two pieces I wrote were pretty good, in my opinion. My editor has yet to lend me one compliment. She wants me to be "whimsical" and write about every spec of dirt on the floor of my interviewees. I understand attention to details, but there is a point of excess and my threshold is being pushed.
I hope things get better soon.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Day one
Today was my first day at the weekly. I have five stories I have to work on and my editor said she plans to give me another story each day. It is a lot. Since we're in Maine it is a lot of driving too. Today alone I drove 60 miles. Thankfully the paper reimburses for mileage. Although, it does not pay for stories: just salary. This makes me less motivated to do extra work.
It seems like a newsroom is a newsroom wherever you go. Yes, The Maine Campus is way more fun, it is louder and younger but the job is pretty much the same everywhere. Everyone at the weekly seems excited to have me.
When I shove my laptop out my apartment window I can bum one of my neighbor's wireless Internet signals, so I will be able to blog more.
***
I just found out I am one of 25 people in the nation accepted into an investigative journalism camp. It is a week-long workshop taught by Pulitzer winning journalists, people from the NY Times and Washington Post. I am about to throw up I am so excited.
Work better give me that week off.
It seems like a newsroom is a newsroom wherever you go. Yes, The Maine Campus is way more fun, it is louder and younger but the job is pretty much the same everywhere. Everyone at the weekly seems excited to have me.
When I shove my laptop out my apartment window I can bum one of my neighbor's wireless Internet signals, so I will be able to blog more.
***
I just found out I am one of 25 people in the nation accepted into an investigative journalism camp. It is a week-long workshop taught by Pulitzer winning journalists, people from the NY Times and Washington Post. I am about to throw up I am so excited.
Work better give me that week off.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Pre-internship
It is the day before I start my internship. Finals ended last week, but I wanted to give myself time to adjust to this new town. It is a lazy, tourist town. The shops here feel the need to stamp "Maine" on everything, this is the consequence of living near Bar Harbor in the summer.
The job is writing news features and style articles for the weekly newspaper. My beat will focus on what there is to do in this town. My target audience is the tourists who I'm already hostile toward. I'd feel more compelled to change my attitude toward them, but it seems natural for writers to both love and hate their audiences. Odi et amo as Catullus said.
I wont lie. This wasnt my first choice for a job. A daily newspaper was hiring a temporary position because of the reporters is pregnant. I applied for both positions. The day after I interviewed for the weekly the woman called me up ecstatic and asked me to take the position. I didnt accept at first because I was waiting for the Daily interview. When the daily told me the position could only promise me two months of work and that they wouldnt tell me if I got the job or not until mid May, I had to take the weekly's offer. I'm not disappointed, this will be a great experience and the daily loved me, they want me to apply for what they called a "real job" after I graduate next spring.
I'm a news girl though, that is the drawback. This job is mostly soft stuff. I live for hard, breaking news. I expect this job to open my eyes to new ways of looking at stories and writing.
For the first time in my life, I am living alone. I have a cold, rectangle of an apartment. Two men live above me. They are not ballet dancers, I know this because the way they stomp on the floors makes me feel that they will make an unexpected visit through my ceiling at any moment.
The job is writing news features and style articles for the weekly newspaper. My beat will focus on what there is to do in this town. My target audience is the tourists who I'm already hostile toward. I'd feel more compelled to change my attitude toward them, but it seems natural for writers to both love and hate their audiences. Odi et amo as Catullus said.
I wont lie. This wasnt my first choice for a job. A daily newspaper was hiring a temporary position because of the reporters is pregnant. I applied for both positions. The day after I interviewed for the weekly the woman called me up ecstatic and asked me to take the position. I didnt accept at first because I was waiting for the Daily interview. When the daily told me the position could only promise me two months of work and that they wouldnt tell me if I got the job or not until mid May, I had to take the weekly's offer. I'm not disappointed, this will be a great experience and the daily loved me, they want me to apply for what they called a "real job" after I graduate next spring.
I'm a news girl though, that is the drawback. This job is mostly soft stuff. I live for hard, breaking news. I expect this job to open my eyes to new ways of looking at stories and writing.
For the first time in my life, I am living alone. I have a cold, rectangle of an apartment. Two men live above me. They are not ballet dancers, I know this because the way they stomp on the floors makes me feel that they will make an unexpected visit through my ceiling at any moment.
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