Thursday, May 31, 2007

Fields and Trenches

I wrote my first professional article yesterday. It was about standardized test results in our school district. I did some comparisons to the county and state and talked with suits. I think I wrote a good lede. The rest--well, it's test results. I think my editor wanted more statistics, but statistics are boring to read. I suggested someone do an infographic, which he said was a good idea. I certainly won't be doing it--blech. He said he or a graphic designer would do one. I didn't even know they had a graphic designer.

After I mailed it off, I thought I should probably read the damn thing. So I did, and there was a huge cut-and-paste error. I fixed it and mailed it again. I really, really, really hope he uses the corrected one.

I haven't heard anything yet, which makes me worry.

I've spent some time tailing the woman I'm replacing. She's introduced me to some people, and she said she'd give me her contact information, which is very helpful. She seems like a fine person. She's going back to school to get her master's degree in social work. She's written for the paper for three years. She writes in a completely different way than I do. We'll see how people adjust--or not.

4 comments:

laurie said...

wow. where are you working??

Amy said...

I'm working for a weekly community newspaper called The Herald-Independent.

It looked like there were a lot of jobs this summer (and permanently) that I was qualified for. I was surprised. But this one is in my own little city and not strenuous. I thought that would be good after the year we've had.

The editor isn't bothered a bit that I'll still be in school in the fall. He's barely out of school himself. How does it go? "He looks about 12."

My next story is one about a global impacts math class that studied energy conservation as applied to the high school. Given that was my first life, I'm kind of pumped about that story.

laurie said...

excellent. that's terrific.

plus i might be coming your way in the next few months, askng for work, the way things are going at our place...

Amy said...

Boy, Laurie. You'd have to be desperate to come down here. But I'd love to have you around! Of course, I hope you keep your job. Morale must be mighty low. The whole situation sounds pretty tense and dark.

On that cheery thought, did you hear Ireland's favorite joke?