So, today I got my first byline ever. It's not going to win me any Pulitzers, but it was a generous offer by one of our sports editors that I had to take. It really got me thinking, wouldn't it be amazing if more newsroom staffers could become involved in areas of the paper they aren't necessarily familiar with. My top reasons for this are;
A. It gives you a better understanding of how the paper works as a whole. Until you've actually had a story of yours hacked in length so it fits on the page, you really don't really comprehend what you're doing as a designer when you ask, can't we just cut it?
B. It allows you to explore areas of the paper you never gave a chance. Am I going to switch over and become a reporter? Hell no, but I've seen designers, photographers, writers, etc. move around our newsroom and find out they're calling really lies in a field other than what they've previously done.
C. It always makes you more marketable, like this guy. What paper wants to hire someone to write a story, someone else to capture audio of the event, and a third person to take some photos when one person could theoretically take care of it. I'm not saying journalists shouldn't specialize, but instead this provides even more content for the readers that otherwise wouldn't be available.
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