Has anyone ever REALLY worked with you?

That is key right there. That used to be the norm, but eventually talented writers were able to write for a living and didn't want and/or need the bump up.

McNulty, do you work with or know any veteran writers you admire who would be willing to give your stuff a first read? If you're at bigger shop is there an especially sharp copy editor/slot/night editor who could help? Some desks are told to give certain writers more freedom with their copy, which isn't always in the best interests of the writer's longterm growth.

Another point: Look at where you editor came from. Not to channel he-who-shall-not-be-named, but if your editor was a designer or presentation person, they probably are very good at organizing the section and department, but might not be the type of editor you want/need.

 

From what I've seen, getting a stringing job for a large metro can be an inroad toward a more permanent gig there or someplace comparable. That's a little bit of "larger paper" experience, is it not?

On good writers who become mediocre editors - yes, I've been there too. After the guy who worked so closely with those of us who were green behind the ears, in came a guy who was a senior reporter at a larger sister paper. He was good in his element but he was one of the worst editors and managers I've been around. We got along just fine if we weren't talking about work, but when there's no one else in the newsroom, I'm printing off proofs of the sports section and he can't be arsed to even give it a once-over to at least see if there's nothing glaringly, badly wrong in large print, then I do have to say I've got limited use for people like that. That stretch was the low point of my career.

 

Probably the true reason I got out of writing 23 years ago. Everything I did was "fine." No constructive criticism; they were just happy to get the copy on time. It's a lesson I try to remember today.

And yet, when I've spoken to college classes, this is the point I try to make about getting practical experience while in school. There is no guarantee that anyone is going to have the time to hand-hold you through the early days of your employment -- small paper OR large.

 

I've been fortunate enough that I've worked with very good writers and editors that took the time to read my stuff and offered criticism. Also, you can find people here who, if you ask them to, will read your work and offer their thoughts.

 

Not since college. Ever since it seems as though it's been an assembly line or meatball surgery.

I have a core group of editors around the country whom I trust. If I'm working on something that has potential, they always get first crack.

 

Yes. My first ME. We were at a twice-weekly. He was 57 or so. He was cut and dry, pulled no punches, told me things to make me better and not just to bitch.

Oh, and he was forced to take a buyout after I was at the paper eight months.

In the almost-eight years since, I've never had a guy help me like he did.

 

Didn't want anyone "holding my hand," didn't want anyone "blowing sunshine up my ass." Just wanted to get better and I knew I couldn't do it alone. Nothing less.

 

Well put.

Nobody's going to get any better at this stuff if nobody's giving feedback, or meaningful feedback anyway. People get set in their ways. It's very possible to do this for a long time without ever being good at it, especially since newspapers still need warm, cheap bodies.

 

In a word — no.

 

And I'm telling you ... if you find someplace where that help is forthcoming, appreciate it. Because they are fairly rare.

 

My very first SE gave me like two very quick tips about a month into the job.
Twenty years later and boxes of awards later, I'm still sticking with them. Nothing particularly grand, but just some good technical tips.
At a previous stop as an ASE, I had some good younger and some older, veteran writers. But being the new guy, I didn't know how much to edit their copy. If they had questions about an idiom or an analogy to use, I'd offer it in a heartbeat.
One night many dark years ago as an SE, we were WAY late and one of my desk people was flummoxed on a page and was staring at the computer screen. I told him that if he was going to get into a staring contest with the screen, my money was on the computer. If he needed help, he might better want to let me know as quickly as possible, and I could get him out of a jam.

 

Yes. I was incredibly fortunate to have a couple of mentors who got me going in the right direction early on.

They changed my life.