On my first day at the paper we were sending the weekly
paper to print. Then in the afternoon we got assignments for the next week. My
workload was mellow and pretty fluffy, since I was the newbie. Community
events, Teton Valley history. I churned through them, turned my articles in,
dawdled on the Internet. This Wednesday it started all over again. Groundhog
week.
I really like it. The novelty of being a paid writer hasn’t
worn off…or even sunk in. The hardest adjustment is working in an office…eight
hour days seem like such an artificial construct when I can do all my work in
four hours…fortunately the editor isn’t breathing down my neck for not
“working” from 9 to 5. I can leave the office whenever I want to walk around in
the sunshine, get coffee, buy groceries. So strange.
The writing part is so good. Headphones on. Scrawl out the
first draft in my notebook. Type. Fiddle. Cut and paste. I am good at this. I
am not a procrastinator.
The challenging part is reaching out to people. I sit for
twenty minutes steeling myself to make a phone call. I have to write out my
questions before I talk on the phone or my mind shuts off. I feel so
self-conscious having conversations in front of other people. I know it will
get easier with practice.
The advantage of this office job is that as a Serious
Journalist I am not required to answer the phone. The editorial department is
protected from phone calls by a buffer of competent women who deal with
all the administrative stuff. They make me feel safe.
I am so neurotic sometimes.
Seeing my byline feels amazing though. Regardless of the content.
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