Self-loathing Journalists

I let a pretty egregious error slip into copy this week and have felt down about it since. It was caught during hard-copy edits, so didn't get into the pub that way. But it doesn't take away the sting of missing something so big. None of my friends understand why one mistake eats at me so much.

Got me wondering, do other professions have the same kind of self-loathing or are my friends just slackers.

 

I do not think that means what you think it means.

 

Newspapers have been doing things by a system for a long time -- some here would argue a system that's being eroded drastically -- and when the presses start, "didn't get in the pub that way" is the bottom line.

If you're any good, it's not unusual that this bothers you, but believe me, I've had things go all the way to the doorstep in my life. You take this as a reminder and get better because of it.

 

I once dented the side of a rental car when I was told I spelled Dwyane Wade's name wrong for the second day in a row.

 

I'm fairly certain Wade's mom has spelled his first name wrong.

 

If you're any good at writing, any little mistake should bother you to some extent. The day you stop caring about doing your best is the day you should give up writing.

Having said that, it got caught before it went to press, right? In the end, that's probably more important than the fact you made the mistake in the first place.

 

Yeah, but I did it once, was told I did it by the desk and then did it again. That really fucking pissed me off (at myself).

 

Making the apology to someone for spelling their name incorrectly is more gut-wrenching to me than anything.

It just reeks of your failure to do your job correctly. The simple task of double-checking the spelling is not difficult to perform.

f_t is right. When you quit caring, look for another job.

 

I'd be more concerned that I mis-used the term 'self-loathing'.

 

WFW.

 

I got chewed out big-time by some flunkies around the office when I docked myself a day's pay for a fairly stupid and egregious error that nobody else had even noticed. Mostly by fuckers who a) were way below me on the food chain anyway, and b) make more mistakes in three days than I make in three years.

Fine. So be it. Justice begins at home.