One of the things I wanted to do as an editor was working with other writers as other editors had worked with me. A year ago, I didn't have a freelance budget; I was hired to write and edit, which was fine with me, because I love to write.
Several months into the job, I did receive a small freelance budget. After my assistant left, that budget was temporarily expanded, since her leaving happened at the same time we were entering the holidays and my vacation time, and I needed to absorb many of her duties, which include monitoring the general newsroom mailbox and writing briefs, which have no byline.
Truth be told, I love this part of the work, so although my byline is still present, and I'm still writing, that byline is less than in the past. Also, in the coming year, my editor has asked me to run stories from the general news write one to two times a week.
As I get caught up, I'm hoping to return to "all local" on the features pages, but that may be an unrealistic hope. In the meantime, I've been able to expand local coverage through the briefs (I'm all about local) and assign more stories. So, like many things in life, I'm meeting my goals, although not all at once and not in a linear fashion.
That said, here are the cover stories I wrote and/or edited this week:
Plainfield teen has more than 4000 hours of volunteer work
By Brittany Keeperman
This girl is amazing...and she has written a how-to program for those that either volunteer or work with volunteers. Now a busy college student, she says making time for volunteering is all about prioritizing. Incidentally, the writer is a former teen writer from the time I taught journalism to Joliet Area Christian Cooperative - and one of the former homeschooled "Teen Scene" writers for The Herald News from those classes. She's now completing a journalism degree. What fun it was for me to edit her work again and look back with pride at how far she's come.
http://httpwww.theherald-news.com/2014/10/29/plainfield-teen-has-more-than-4-000-hours-of-volunteer-work/ac44no6/
An Extraordinary Life: Joliet man valued love and service
This story was number one on our web analytics for last Monday. Read and see why.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/23/an-extraordinary-life-joliet-man-valued-love-and-service/a7up2sw/?page=1
Joliet dental hygienist and dentist work together to provide care to low-income patients
By Jeanne Millsap
A random meeting provided the idea for a non-profit...and help to someone that truly needed it.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/23/joliet-dental-hygienist-and-dentist-work-to-provide-care-to-low-income-patients/a3kf8cd/?page=1
Joliet-based Christian rock band recording old hymns with a new sound
By Jeanne Millsap
When I first interviewed this band in early 1999, they were trying to make a big splash in the teen Christian music scene and anticipated being relevant for only ten years. Now that members are nearing forty - and still recording and touring - see how they've grown with the ministry, and what they've planned for the future.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/23/joliet-based-christian-rock-band-recording-old-hymns-with-a-new-sound/a7cyzt1/?page=1
Choral with history in Plainfield begins youth chorus
Now the third to fifth graders can get involved with the fun.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/30/choral-with-history-in-plainfield-area-begins-youth-chorus/apz6bk3/?page=1
Several months into the job, I did receive a small freelance budget. After my assistant left, that budget was temporarily expanded, since her leaving happened at the same time we were entering the holidays and my vacation time, and I needed to absorb many of her duties, which include monitoring the general newsroom mailbox and writing briefs, which have no byline.
Truth be told, I love this part of the work, so although my byline is still present, and I'm still writing, that byline is less than in the past. Also, in the coming year, my editor has asked me to run stories from the general news write one to two times a week.
As I get caught up, I'm hoping to return to "all local" on the features pages, but that may be an unrealistic hope. In the meantime, I've been able to expand local coverage through the briefs (I'm all about local) and assign more stories. So, like many things in life, I'm meeting my goals, although not all at once and not in a linear fashion.
That said, here are the cover stories I wrote and/or edited this week:
Plainfield teen has more than 4000 hours of volunteer work
By Brittany Keeperman
This girl is amazing...and she has written a how-to program for those that either volunteer or work with volunteers. Now a busy college student, she says making time for volunteering is all about prioritizing. Incidentally, the writer is a former teen writer from the time I taught journalism to Joliet Area Christian Cooperative - and one of the former homeschooled "Teen Scene" writers for The Herald News from those classes. She's now completing a journalism degree. What fun it was for me to edit her work again and look back with pride at how far she's come.
http://httpwww.theherald-news.com/2014/10/29/plainfield-teen-has-more-than-4-000-hours-of-volunteer-work/ac44no6/
An Extraordinary Life: Joliet man valued love and service
This story was number one on our web analytics for last Monday. Read and see why.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/23/an-extraordinary-life-joliet-man-valued-love-and-service/a7up2sw/?page=1
Joliet dental hygienist and dentist work together to provide care to low-income patients
By Jeanne Millsap
A random meeting provided the idea for a non-profit...and help to someone that truly needed it.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/23/joliet-dental-hygienist-and-dentist-work-to-provide-care-to-low-income-patients/a3kf8cd/?page=1
Joliet-based Christian rock band recording old hymns with a new sound
By Jeanne Millsap
When I first interviewed this band in early 1999, they were trying to make a big splash in the teen Christian music scene and anticipated being relevant for only ten years. Now that members are nearing forty - and still recording and touring - see how they've grown with the ministry, and what they've planned for the future.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/23/joliet-based-christian-rock-band-recording-old-hymns-with-a-new-sound/a7cyzt1/?page=1
Choral with history in Plainfield begins youth chorus
Now the third to fifth graders can get involved with the fun.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2014/12/30/choral-with-history-in-plainfield-area-begins-youth-chorus/apz6bk3/?page=1
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