EDITOR@WORK: writing for newspapers

Years ago, I was covering a basketball game in Eastern North Carolina, and I'd never been to this high school before. I didn't have a press credential; my newspaper didn't issue press credentials. And I was having trouble talking my way into the game.

For some reason — maybe for this reason — I had taken a copy of my newspaper's sports section with me. I showed it to the young woman at the door, and she showed it to the principal. "He DOES write for the newspaper," she told him.

They let me in.

I think that was the only time I thought to do that.

Years later, I was trying to get to the credential office for a state championship football game in Raleigh, N.C., and, again, I didn't have a press credential (this was a different newspaper). I was getting desperate, and I told the woman at the gate that I had a North Carolina Press Association sticker on my windshield.

She saw it, and they let me in.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com BLUESKY: PROFILE

MORE EDITOR@WORK BLOG ENTRIES

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

BLOG ENTRIES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

ANECDOTES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer OUTTA there!

ENTRIES FROM THE DOG BLOG

• Katie cried

• Growl and pull

• 13-plus years with my dog Lady

• ... said the spider to ...

• The Dog Diary (2014)

• YIP! YIP! The stereo-sound huskies

• What Lady and Michael Jackson had in common

BLOG ENTRIES FROM THE AUTO RACING JOURNAL

• Angel in Black: Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

• Then Junior Said to Jeff...

(the book of great NASCAR stories)

• My best day as a sports writer

• Jeff Gordon's milk toast to Dale Earnhardt

• Wayne Auton: A life in racing

Years ago, my boss, a co-worker and I were having Cokes in the canteen at the newspaper office. I don't know what started it, but we began talking about writing.

"I don't like to write; I don't enjoy it," our young co-worker said. "I'm happier when I'm finished writing."

My boss was the best writer at the newspaper, and I was pretty good. We looked at each other and smiled broadly.

Neither of us said it, but we both felt sorry for our young friend. I enjoyed the process of writing, then got a kick out of editing it, making it better. I probably felt most alive when I was writing. Our boss wasn't big into self-editing, but you could see the joy while he was writing. It looked like he was conducting a symphony. Maybe he was.

I don't know what happened to our young friend. He wasn't a born journalist, just a fellow doing a job. My boss and me? We were born to do exactly what we were doing. He was a terrific writer. I was a good writer and a terrific editor.

Sadly, my former boss is no longer with us. He loved to write.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com BLUESKY: PROFILE

MORE EDITOR@WORK BLOG ENTRIES
• You really DO need an editor
• Reminders for would-be novelists
• What I do when I'm editing
• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit
• Slogging through the Internet
• J-school: More eyes on your stories
• J-school: Go out and learn
• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

BLOG ENTRIES BY TOM GILLISPIE
• Resume for a writer and editor
• An editor's views on powerful writing
• Advice for be and would-be novelists
• Links to TG's stories online
• Favorite quotes