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Dealing with praise from the publisher

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Mr. X, Apr 12, 2008.

  1. Mr. X

    Mr. X Active Member

    I received an e-mail from the publisher praising me for a cityside brief I wrote about a recent success by distinguished alumnus of the city's high school.

    Should I just thank him for his praise, thank him for it and promise more similar good work in the future or what?
     
  2. Rosie

    Rosie Active Member

    Thank him for the praise and tell him you appreciate it.

    Leave it at that.
     
  3. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    Agreed.

    For me, I do that, then save my expressions of pure shock for when he and his wife leave.
     
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Pub,
    Thanks for the note. I appreciate it.
    Me


    Short and sweet.
     
  5. SixToe

    SixToe Well-Known Member

    You received praise for a brief?

    What would your publisher give for a feature? Blowjobs and Champagne?
     
  6. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    For God's sake don't do that. Then they'll expect it out of you. Better to exceed their expectations than fail to live up to them ...
     
  7. Mr. X

    Mr. X Active Member

    A similar short e-mail of praise.

    There are certain types of stories (or briefs) he likes a lot, often about the school's alumni, and when you write those, you get praise. He is also president of the school's alumni association.

    He does praise people when you show initiative outside your usual work.

    The publisher essentially decides what gets into the paper.

    The publisher is almost universally loathed by his employees. He is the 100 percent owner the paper, a free community weekly.

    My job is to write a weekly roundup of the high school's varsity sporting events, which is 1,100-2,000 words depending on the space. I've been doing this for more than eight years now, nearly the last five when I have also had a cityside editing job with a daily organization.

    I was sort of being blackmailed to stay before getting the daily job. I was told if I left before getting a fulltime job, there would be problems about me getting a job. Then there were some communications problems after I got the fulltime job -- I wasn't sure it was permanent and it was in August, just before the start of football season -- so I had to stay. There have been some other things keeping me at this job. I hope to meet with the publisher soon to discuss my future -- I'd like to quit, but there could be problems with my fulfilling my wish of getting out of the profession and getting a job in the city's leading industry.
     
  8. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    It is harder to get a job when you don't have one to begin with, but how could they blackmail you? Did they have some pictures of you or something?
     
  9. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Yeah, the publisher of that weekly newspaper has the power to blackball you out of journalism.

    Fuck that guy. And just say thanks for the compliment. Probably some jackass buddy of his that cut out the article and hung it on his fridge.

    The publisher will be back to ripping you soon enough.
     
  10. ColbertNation

    ColbertNation Member

    Praise from the publisher? I'm sorry ... I'm not familiar with that phrase.
     
  11. I had a publisher once stop me in the parking lot to throw some praise my way. There was no way out of that one. I just nodded my head, said thanks and appreciated it and walked as fast as I could to my car.
     
  12. John

    John Well-Known Member

    Candlesticks always make a nice gift.
     
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