Friday, January 5, 2018

Insight: Lessons from my first year by Lorraine Glowczak



It’s here. Another new year and it brings with it a time of renewed hope and a sense of new beginnings. It is also a time of reflection – where we get an opportunity to look back at peak moments, to set new goals and to see how much we have learned from the past twelve months.
 
Speaking of learning, this week marks my one-year anniversary as the Managing Editor of The Windham Eagle and to say I have learned substantially is an understatement.

The following are a few of the things I have discovered thus far in my new (now, not so new) role. Although personal in nature, the following are universal life lessons and not unique in the grand scheme of things. However, perhaps this little list may help you as you reflect upon your own life as we proceed into 2018.

Discipline
As a writer and editor, one must juggle many deadlines and multiple jobs at once. If you are not disciplined, all hell breaks loose. I have learned that am doing okay in this department. One area where I do need to be more disciplined is writing these Insights. Getting up at 4 a.m. on publication day not knowing what I will write about is not the best way to go about expressing editorial thoughts. Especially since these thoughts are etched in ink and shall be floating in cyberspace for all to read for eternity. This will need to change.

It’s okay to step away from the phone, laptop and emails
I haven’t learned this one completely, but I am getting better at realizing I’m not that important and people do not mind if I don’t respond immediately.

Clarity and Brevity
If there is anything I have learned the most, it is to be brief and clear when I write. Learning to write this way has also taught me to speak this way; although, I suspect some may beg to differ about the speaking part. I am more aware of the importance that can be found in clarity and brevity now.

Editing
The truth is, I really need to work on this one. Again, I’m slowly getting better, but it is not good to miss significant things that are important to others; which brings me to the following lesson:
People will love you and people will hate you.
This comes with the territory of journalism. Luckily, I am not the editor of the New York Times, I learn from my mistakes, I have thick skin and more people love me than hate me. (That I know of.)

Gratitude
I think I’m the luckiest managing editor in the world. I live in a thoughtful and innovative community and work with amazing reporters, copy editor, layout and account manager, publisher and staff at Time4Printing as well as all the incredible people I have met along the way. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I am grateful every day.

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