Social media, SEO, marketing and writingThe Compositionist – Images and Words: An Interview with Joe Konz
I first met Joe Konz online via LinkedIn.com. We were both members of the discussion group, LinkEds & writers, and we started a conversation on the subject of copy editing, writing and the decline in print newspaper readership. You see, Joe is a career newspaperman – reporter, writer and editor – who currently is chief of the copy desk that produces 11 community newspapers published by The Indianapolis Star Media Group. I asked Joe if he wouldn’t mind sharing his thoughts about his job, the news industry, advice he might have for novice writers, as well as what makes him tick creatively.
What I learned from Joe is that he is a compositionist at heart, a framer of images and words, someone who utilizes language and compositional technique to elicit an emotional response, while trying to present the world as precisely as can be depicted. This is by no means an easy task. Read the interview, and enjoy!
How has the job of copy editing has changed through the years?
I’d probably single out the change in technology as one of the biggest factors. It’s transformed the way we operate, going from the glue, pencil and paper era to one of computers, electronic editing and design pagination systems and satellite transmissions of pages to remote printing sites. That, in turn, has affected the editing protocol – the way copy and content editors interact to effect improvements to copy and pictures before they are published. Content and copy editors formerly conferred exclusively either face to face or by telephone. There still is a some of that – maybe 50 percent – but we also interact a lot now by in-house email, and some editors even use instant messaging services.
Can you briefly summarize what you do on any given day?
I supervise a staff of nine people – including two designers – who produce the 11 community newspapers circulated to the suburban areas of Indianapolis. These sections strive to provide micro-local coverage of news, sports and events that the communities couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get in the main section of the metropolitan newspaper or from most other news/media sources. My staff designs and copy edits the sections.
In copy editing, we provide the final “read” of story text, make minor tweaks – such as correcting misspellings or grammatical errors, and consulting content editors and/or writers on any significant organizational problems, including substantial trims, that we feel are necessary to make a story clearer and/or more readable.
We also write the headlines on stories and the captions for photographs, and we proofread the pages before we release them to our typesetters.
What do you love most about your job?
Two things, primarily.
One is the satisfaction of being able to successfully coordinate all of the elements involved in the aforementioned copy editing process so that our operation can meet 11 production deadlines. That alone can be a daunting task, given the landmines of late or swapped out copy and pictures, stories falling apart at the last minute, photos not being assigned until the last minute, dealing with and adjusting page production to accommodate breaking news, etc., not to mention technical issues that could arise – especially computer and/or network crashes.
The other is the splendid way the staff I work with interacts. It’s a treasured camaraderie and respect; the grueling aspect of the job I described previously would not be nearly as bearable without this.
How do you feel about the future of printed newspapers?
There are still a lot of people who appreciate the ability to hold ink and paper in their hand to access the news. I’m one of those. And there are still advertisers who appreciate the advantage of having their product or services in a “hands-on” media, one in which a customer can clip and either set aside for future reference or bring with them to the store when they shop. But is the number of people who read or subscribe to newspapers dwindling? Certainly, which is why most publishing companies are striving to bolster their online product and presence, because they know that’s where a growing number of people are turning to find their news “now,” when they want it. The Internet presents a vast forum and opportunity for newsgathering organizations to provide anything and everything a reader could want or need, certainly much beyond what can be provided in the limited structure of a newspaper or other print product.
What advice would you give to someone right out of college thinking about a writing or editing career at a newspaper? What skills should they have? What’s the best way to land a job?
The basic journalism skills – a command of the language and compositional technique, accuracy, balance and fairness – will always be valid in the news gathering industry. But today, a “student” also must be well-versed in new media – making and editing audio and video clips and posting news online. A proficiency in operating video equipment and using video/audio editing software and learning and mastering basic HTML code are huge assets. I might even say “musts.”
The best way a student can situate himself or herself to land a job not only is to be able to present a “clips” record of published work to prospective employers, but also have CD or DVD copies of their new media work to share with prospective employers. Having internships with professional media while in college (with good references from those experiences) also is a huge plus.
To actually land a job might be tougher than usual for as long as the economic climate is so dour. Joining business networking organizations (the online networking sites LinkedIn and Plaxo are examples) is a good start. At those sites, you can build your “connections” network and join “like-interest” groups where you could come across employment opportunities you might not find elsewhere.
Tell me a little about your photography.
I describe myself as an avid hobbyist. It’s a fulfilling, creative outlet. I’ve had a couple dozen of my images published in the newspaper where I work, but I’ve received no extra compensation for it (as per company policy), so I don’t think I could be considered a pro. I’m working on some projects where I’m hoping to get more exposure of my work, but it’s not something I’ve necessarily set as a firm goal. They are ideas that motivate me, and as long as I feel motivated, I’ll chase after them.
What inspires you as an artist?
I am inspired by seeing inspired photography or other art, if you can understand what I’m getting at: something that reflects how a photographer – or any artist – gave considerable thought to compose and capture his or her work.
There have been quite a few masterpieces that evolved from “accidental” (or maybe “fortuitous” is a better word) photography. You know, a situation where dumb luck, or the mere act of being at the right place at the right time, resulted in a lasting image. War photographs are good examples. Two examples of non-war photographs that fall into this category:
- A very young John Kennedy Jr. saluting from the side of the street as the casket of his father, assassinated President John F. Kennedy, processes in front of him at JFK’s state funeral in November 1963. The photographer, of course, could not have known that John was going to strike that pose, but he was there and positioned perfectly to capture it. Everyone who was alive at that time remembers that image vividly.
- A less-known (except in the pricey industry of art collection) example is Frenchman Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare” (1932), a street photography image featuring a male pedestrian, in almost silhouette form, trying to jump over a large puddle with his shadow in the water presenting a wonderful artistic, complementary element. Cartier-Bresson, in the right place at the right time, snapped the shutter on his 35mm Leica rangefinder the moment before the man’s foot would land in the water, sealing the photographer’s reputation as one specializing in capturing the “decisive moment.”
If I can learn how a particularly inspiring work was accomplished, as I have with that particular photograph, I feel inspired to pursue and explore creative ways with my photography.
Joe’s Photo Galleries and Blog:
www.joekonz.fototime.com
http://photo.net/photos/joekonz
http://photopotpourri.blogspot.com
