Sailors on the Sea
Friday, April 24, 2009
When an Idea Inspires Hope
So I'm thinking about starting a weekly tabloid, or newspaper. Back in the 1980s I worked as a reporter for a small town newspaper. I covered township boards, city councils, planning commissions, school boards, public works meetings, other hard news, features, and the schools.
I loved covering the schools. It was so young and alive. I took pictures of students of the month, honor roll students, special activities, sports, drama, music, and of course the faculty, administration, and custodial staff. Used to get yelled at for spending so much effort on the schools. Yet I knew it was the school coverage that people cared about. (Just couldn't convince my news orientated editor of that.) Parents love to see their children honored in a paper, and the children love it, too. Whenever I visited, and it was between classes, I would be flocked by students wanting me to take their pictures and put them in the paper. I always told them, "You have to do something newsworthy, but isn't a crime. I won't put criminals' pictures in the paper." They would groan, and then try silly stunts to get my attention. I did get a lot of them in.
This area has grown to where there are enough schools to generate pictures and stories. But I would do a mess of freelance writing (I will call the publication, "The Freelancer") and feature stories. And I might even give the city councils a few inches of space.
I will feature local businesses, which should encourage them to advertise. Included in this would be advertising for Spouses and my gift and toy business. There are several sections I've already considered. I'll need to find an artist to draw my Decca the Brave comic strip. I've already written up 52 weeks worth. (That means paying somebody.) And I've got some other creative ideas.
A lot of work, though. A LOT of work. Back in the 1980s I was putting in seventy hour weeks, and I wasn't doing everything. I very much doubt I could maintain six blogs and a weekly publication. And there is another risk.
The last time I was swimming with creative ideas was in the mid to late-1980s. Then I began working for the newspaper. It resulted in a rift forming between me and my main collaborator. Within a year of working at the newspaper our collaboration ended, and with it, the bulk of my inspiration. I just didn't feel like writing anymore. Six months later I would quit the newspaper and wound up with nothing.
I would hate to see that happen again. Don't think I could bear it. Too old, you see. Which is another point. Do I even have the energy to do this? Don't know. What I do know is that I downloaded a 60-day trial copy of Microsoft Publisher. I'm currently experimenting with a 16-page layout to start, but I have to hurry. The trial only lasts 60-days or 25-openings, whichever comes first. If I close it every time I'm finished, or take a break, I could find my 60-days only last a week. So I have to be careful about how many times I use it. Once the trial is done I have to buy it or quit.
Next week I need to go to some of the local printers and see about getting quotes.
I loved covering the schools. It was so young and alive. I took pictures of students of the month, honor roll students, special activities, sports, drama, music, and of course the faculty, administration, and custodial staff. Used to get yelled at for spending so much effort on the schools. Yet I knew it was the school coverage that people cared about. (Just couldn't convince my news orientated editor of that.) Parents love to see their children honored in a paper, and the children love it, too. Whenever I visited, and it was between classes, I would be flocked by students wanting me to take their pictures and put them in the paper. I always told them, "You have to do something newsworthy, but isn't a crime. I won't put criminals' pictures in the paper." They would groan, and then try silly stunts to get my attention. I did get a lot of them in.
This area has grown to where there are enough schools to generate pictures and stories. But I would do a mess of freelance writing (I will call the publication, "The Freelancer") and feature stories. And I might even give the city councils a few inches of space.
I will feature local businesses, which should encourage them to advertise. Included in this would be advertising for Spouses and my gift and toy business. There are several sections I've already considered. I'll need to find an artist to draw my Decca the Brave comic strip. I've already written up 52 weeks worth. (That means paying somebody.) And I've got some other creative ideas.
A lot of work, though. A LOT of work. Back in the 1980s I was putting in seventy hour weeks, and I wasn't doing everything. I very much doubt I could maintain six blogs and a weekly publication. And there is another risk.
The last time I was swimming with creative ideas was in the mid to late-1980s. Then I began working for the newspaper. It resulted in a rift forming between me and my main collaborator. Within a year of working at the newspaper our collaboration ended, and with it, the bulk of my inspiration. I just didn't feel like writing anymore. Six months later I would quit the newspaper and wound up with nothing.
I would hate to see that happen again. Don't think I could bear it. Too old, you see. Which is another point. Do I even have the energy to do this? Don't know. What I do know is that I downloaded a 60-day trial copy of Microsoft Publisher. I'm currently experimenting with a 16-page layout to start, but I have to hurry. The trial only lasts 60-days or 25-openings, whichever comes first. If I close it every time I'm finished, or take a break, I could find my 60-days only last a week. So I have to be careful about how many times I use it. Once the trial is done I have to buy it or quit.
Next week I need to go to some of the local printers and see about getting quotes.
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A Tentative Schedule
Monday - Progress Report
Where am I with regard to the Current Book
Tuesday - Thoughts About Writing
I was going to be profound, but let's be real
Wednesday - What Am I Learning
What can I take from what I am doing
Thursday - Work Sent Out For Review
Respondes to my submissions
Friday - Other Works of Fantasy
Some of my other fantasy writing
Saturday - The Impact of Music
How music has influenced what I write
Sunday - Venting
My 'morbid' time. A safe compromise, I think
Where am I with regard to the Current Book
Tuesday - Thoughts About Writing
I was going to be profound, but let's be real
Wednesday - What Am I Learning
What can I take from what I am doing
Thursday - Work Sent Out For Review
Respondes to my submissions
Friday - Other Works of Fantasy
Some of my other fantasy writing
Saturday - The Impact of Music
How music has influenced what I write
Sunday - Venting
My 'morbid' time. A safe compromise, I think
6 comments:
It sounds both exciting and anxiety-provoking.
Good luck with it!
We'll see what happens. One step at a time. Right now I've got ten of sixteen pages designed. From what I've been able to learn it's 50% or more advertising. That's a lot of work getting that many ads in a publication. Especially by someone who can't even write a decent query letter. [smiles]
Definitely sounds like a worthwhile project — though you'll have to be very strict pre-setting the Burnout Alarm.
The Burnout Alarm. Yes. That's what ended my other stint. After seventeen months I had only taken six days off (five in a row when I caught the flu bug). One day I woke up and knew I was done. I had nothing left.
I can see that happening with this.
Oh that is so sweet, Bevie! I love what you told the kids!
I think you're absolutely right about the parents. I wonder if they'd even open the local paper if it weren't for their kid being in it.
It sounds like a fabulous idea! Can you put protective measures in place so you won't burn out?
The best protection against burnout is to not be the editor-in-chief, but rather just an occasional contributor.
I've got a complete design right now. Twenty pages. That was the easy part.
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