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I'm just a newspaper editor
By adriana_acosta in To venus and back
January 12, 2011

A few weeks ago the editor of the Inlander, the monthly publication for the Inland Press Association, called me to let me know he was going to write a profile story about me.

This isn’t something special just for me, every Inland fellow gets a profile story written about them. This is a great honor, but I do feel weird about it. A profile story about me? Why?

Being always behind the scenes and never in front of the camera is something that comes natural to me. I am always there, taking notes and taking photos. I am in the back of the room, quietly observing all the information that’s needed to gather and write an informative article. Behind the scenes is where I’d rather be.

But in the February issue of the Inlander, there will be a profile story about me. There will also be a column written by me, relating to the newspaper business.

My hope is that every question that was asked, I answered correctly. There are times when I am interviewing someone and they tell me something that I think is a great lead or quote. I too, hope I did that when being interviewed. Personally, a profile story is for someone who has accomplished something great in life and has does something that is meaningful to society. I just love to write articles and share that with anyone who is interested in reading them.

The phone interview was a few hours long, he called from the corporate office in Chicago. Having met him in the first conference in Chicago, it was a bit easier to speak to him. He asked me about my interest in the newspaper business. How did I become a reporter? How do I manage a weekly?

The way I got into the newspaper business is easy to explain: I have always loved writing, and a tour of the CNN studios in Atlanta changed all that for me one cold February day. Looking over the CNN newsroom and watching a live broadcast of the news, something clicked inside. And the rest just fell into place.

My hope is that I gave intelligent answers. When I get nervous, I tend to giggle a lot and I am sure I did a lot of that when I spoke to him.

I am just a newspaper editor.

I am just a newspaper reporter, used to hiding being my protective shield - the reporter notebook and camera.