Editors

[MindlessBayless]

To the editors out there... how often would you say you work with your writers to help develop ideas and strengthen content? Do you consider this part of your job or something that the writer should worry about in his or her own time?

 

[STLIrish]

Could be wrong, but I'm guessing most editors would say "often." I'd be curious how their reporters would respond to the same question.

 

[HejiraHenry]

Often. That's one of the most important aspects of my job.

 

[fishwrapper]

Other than organizational matters, IT IS MY JOB.

 

[shotglass]

To be honest, I don't have as much opportunity to do that as I wish I did.

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

I try to do it as often as I can. Sometimes I'm not sure the advice is welcome, but ...

 

[Clever username]

From the reporter perspective, I haven't had one editor, at any level of the food chain, try and work with me or my coworkers in the 3 1/2 years I've been in the busines. Best editors I've had were the ones I had at my college paper. They actually cared about helping me get better.

 

[fishwrapper]

To be honest, I don't have as much opportunity to do that as I wish I did.

Shot, I'm with you. It's hard. Really hard sometimes.
But, if I see a hole, I send the story back to the reporter and explain the hole.
It is not always welcome. But, tough ****.
In the end, when the story is printed, 99% of the time they're appreciative of the time I took to improve their story. I'm reading the stories anyhow, might as well give the reporter/columnist feedback.
It's pretty much the gig.

 

[MindlessBayless]

Thanks for confirming my assumptions. The publication I currently write for has been impossible to work with and I do not feel they are helping me get any better. Though the publication is very well-known, (and believe me, that's tough to forget) I feel it might be more important at this juncture to go somewhere else where I can further develop my skills. If, in fact, I do plan on moving up the ladder, this seems like it'd be a logical move, no?

 

[STLIrish]

Keep growing or start dying, Mindless. But before you jump ship, know that the grass isn't really always greener. You've got to make your own opportunities, too.
I could keep spewing cliches all night.

 

[MindlessBayless]

Understood, STL. I just wanted to see if it was commonplace for your editors to never write back to you or give you a call. I'm trying to be patient here, because it's not like I take myself so seriously that I need immediate attention, but it's gotten to the point of being very frustrating.

 

[STLIrish]

Are you a freelancer? If so, I had a similar experience, and it sucks, but there's little you can do. Start looking for a better rabbi.
If you're on staff, though, your editors really should be talking with you about stories on a regular basis.

 

[Kritter47]

Have you sought out your editor for advice?

I wasn't getting a lot of feedback early, but I started sitting over my editor's shoulder (when possible) while he edited my story. We talk about specific changes, broader concepts about angles and leads and basically critique my writing.

He didn't do it until I sat there and said "hey, let's talk, but I've gotten tons of good information out of it and think I've grown as a writer.

I also ask whoever reads my story first how it read. I'm sure they get fead up with it, but my reasoning is hey, how else am I going to know?

It takes a little time out of your day and a little effort chasing them down some nights, but it's well worth it.

 

[Write-brained]

Understood, STL. I just wanted to see if it was commonplace for your editors to never write back to you or give you a call. I'm trying to be patient here, because it's not like I take myself so seriously that I need immediate attention, but it's gotten to the point of being very frustrating.

Get in their damned faces and tell em to do their ****in jobs, which is to help you get better. Yes telling off a boss will get you fired most of the time, but in this case it has worked for me. Guilt works.

 

[spnited]

Understood, STL. I just wanted to see if it was commonplace for your editors to never write back to you or give you a call. I'm trying to be patient here, because it's not like I take myself so seriously that I need immediate attention, but it's gotten to the point of being very frustrating.

Get in their damned faces and tell em to do their ****in jobs, which is to help you get better. Yes telling off a boss will get you fired most of the time, but in this case it has worked for me. Guilt works.

No, write-brained, my job is not to help you get better. My job is to put out the best product I can every day.
To make sure I do that, I will kick a story back to a writer. I will discuss with that writer what I think is lacking or needs to be added. I will even suggest in some non-deadline cases that he/she go back and try a totally diferent tack on a story because his way just doesn't work.

If, as write-brained suggests, you get in my face and tell ME to do ny ****ing job, you are in a world of major ****ing ****.

 

[WSKY]

where I work — never.

 

[Write-brained]

Pardon me, I didn't know you were Mindless' editor. Why don't you return his calls? Or write once in a while?

 

[spnited]

Pardon me, I didn't know you were Mindless' editor. Why don't you return his calls? Or write once in a while?

Is that address to me?

 

[Write-brained]

Pardon me, I didn't know you were Mindless' editor. Why don't you return his calls? Or write once in a while?

Is that address to me?

Yup.

 

[Kaylee]

Could be wrong, but I'm guessing most editors would say "often." I'd be curious how their reporters would respond to the same question.

I'd be doubly curious.

I think every editor I've had, past to present, would claim to have been approachable and pro-active. Let's just say there are two sides to every issue.

BUT, I'm also fairly convinced there are aspects to an editor's job to which writers can be largely ignorant on, and I'm perfectly comfortable to placing myself in this group.

So who knows?