It doesn't make much difference actually because i've had three days of pretty much the same experience and press releases are now my friend!! I don't mean that the same thing was a bad experience, in fact the opposite is true. Writing fillers for 90% of my time is really making me hone my writing skills. Having to fit an entire press release into 50-100 words is tough. Okay so some of the fillers were a little dull but journalism can't always be about police chases and bombs going off.
Someone has to be left behind at the office filling the rest of the pages with things people need to know, and this week, that's me. I am really enjoying the experience, the time goes very fast, I am almost always busy and when i'm not writing i'm talking to the other people in the office about their stories, or last nights football (aside- SO happy Real Madrid showed Tottenham why they should stick to position 4-8 in the Premiership, they needed putting back in their place!)
I'm also perfecting the use of is and are, which and who. I've always given company's an identity and said "The Red Cross, who helped people in Libya" when what I should write is "The Red Cross, WHICH helped people in Libya" so it's good to be sorting these things now, when people are expecting me to not be perfect. Let's hope i've actually got that right here now!!
And it's not all been fillers, i've had few side bars, a couple of sport, some business and even two page leads, with a possible byline! I've even had to call a few people which is helping with my fear of the phone, always good to conquer it early on. And when I get a bit down that i'm writing non-stop and most of the stories will never be able to be credited to me i just tell myself that the reason i'm doing this is so that i have the best chance of getting my very own newspaper. Not just a story, column or section- the whole thing! And that most definitely perks me up. The thought doesn't even scare me any more so I guess I really have grown up!
In other news, the Graduation Ball is really coming along. A very successful meeting on Monday saw decisions on venue, price, date and DJ which is all promising. I am now in the middle of bossing someone else around who is very kindly designing the tickets and poster for it so by the weekend we will be selling tickets and it's crunch time- will it be a success? Will we sell enough tickets? Will anyone really want to come or are 405 members of the group just joining for a laugh? EEK!!!
Tonight is the USSU awards where it will be announced who has won Student Journalist of the Year and i'm laying in bed waiting for someone to tell me if I win!! Not that I am expecting to- I was in the collective that voted on the winners and although there was no discussion, if I hadn't been in the running I would have voted for Mark. He's a first year, already News Editor and he really has done wonders for the news section. He deserves it at least as much as I do!!
I'll report back in a few days to let you know if I am an award-winning journalist (!!) and how the rest of the week goes. Thanks for reading.
Gemma
Hi Gemma,
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed reading your post and am pleased that you benefitted from your work experience, even if you didn't get to cover the police chases. Too many people are hung up on bylines and although they help a portfolio, they are not the be all and end all. With your enthusiasm and ambition you will go far. Best of luck in your career and with the award!
Lucy x