Comments on: NYTimes.com editor says journalists who expect jobs must walk in knowing how to blog

By: links for 2007-12-02 | Brewed Fresh Daily

links for 2007-12-02 | Brewed Fresh Daily — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:44:38 +0000

[...] NYTimes.com editor says journalists who expect jobs must walk in knowing how to blogging | Writes Li… [...]

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:05:03 +0000

It’s just my take, of course. Some people seem to think blogging takes some special skill apart from general writing, but I never have. I always chuckled over how a blogging friend told me shortly after I began a blog that “we’ll make a blogger out of you yet.” I had been writing professionally every day for about 20 years at that point, so didn’t quite get how blogging was any different. I still don’t. It’s not rocket science, that’s for sure. What most people do seem to have a problem with is regularity, keeping at it most days for a long period. But then, that surely hasn’t been a problem for either of us. And again, it goes to having developed a substantial writing habit beforehand, I think. Or you could call it muscle memory for writing.

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:54:18 +0000

John – I would agree about the perspective on the skills, definitely. I was just writing up some stuff from my background and realized, sheesh, I’ve been writing a ton all my life – I mean, ALL my life, lots and lots of writing. And serious writing, and all different kinds.

So yes – articulation can vary depending on the speaker’s perspective.

Thanks for the follow up because that’s part of what I was asking – how much of this is in fact about asking people who haven’t had to have certain skills to get them?

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:10:04 +0000

This need for new skills is, however, quite true on the production side, as this article from the industry bible Folio notes. It talks about how magazine art directors now typically have to know web design. Unlike newspapers, most magazines don’t have separate staffs to handle the website.

http://www.foliomag.com/2007/new-role-art-director

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:11:44 +0000

As you know better than most, Jill, these “skills” you need to write for the web are mostly not skills at all really, since you generally don’t need to know HTML or other technical code-writing languages to write for the web anymore. If you can figure out Microsoft Word you can generally manage most blog software. It’s just a different mind-set, really, beginning with the idea that it involves a conversation (with comments) and that speed sometimes enters into the equation more (though not always). So I think the whole idea that we need new skills is overblown, and more a product of the way that people who are afraid of the web (and of course that cohort group gets smaller every day) would articulate it. We don’t have to be tied to that way of thinking about it, of course.

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 17:50:52 +0000

Ah – thanks.

Do you have an idea and/or opinion on just how many newspapers do look for a similar array of skills? Just how big is the pool – is it getting bigger but less traditional?

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 17:46:26 +0000

Sorry, I was referring to his suggestion that the NYT is almost a decade behind on adapting to the web. They’re actually way, way ahead of most traditional pubs.

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:59:39 +0000

Which “this” is silly John?

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:54:43 +0000

This is silly. From the beginning, the NYT has been a constant innovator on the web, way ahead of most anyone or any organization. They’ve invested hundreds of millions into it, long before they began to reap much in the way of payback.

By: Craig

Craig — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 14:45:42 +0000

Wow, NYT, welcome to 2001. They finally realize that web articles should be written differently than those in print.