Let me give you the inside scoop on writing this newspaper column.
In September 2008 I e-mailed Tiffany Kjos, the Foothills Star editor, about my interest in writing a monthly column. She called me back that same day and asked, "What makes you think you could write a column?"
I directed Tiffany to my Web site to review my previous newspaper columns plus a group of lighter-sides articles. Of course the fact that I offered to write the column for free (and fun) probably helped too.
So, I was "hired!" Now I had to decide what I was going to write about - and remember, it's not just one time, but at least once a month.
Were my subjects going to be community affairs, history, travel, family activities, editorials, fantasies? Would my writing style be serious, opinionated, humorous, complaining, satirical or all of the above, as my mood or the subject dictated? Put me down for (trying) all of the above.
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I had always been impressed with the bright, colorful photos in the Foothills Star, so when I started submitting columns, I sometimes included photo(s) my wife Pat or I had taken that related to the article.
I had to learn two rules of the newspaper column business. The first rule is that the columnist does not write the headline - an editor does. In the 20 previous columns I have written for the Foothills Star, the headline that appears in the newspaper hasn't even come close to what I submitted. At first my feelings were hurt, but I've learned to live with the wisdom of the editor.
The second rule is that the editor has absolute control over how much of my column actually appears in the paper. I may be proud of every line I submit, but "space available" is the final arbiter. Some of what I consider my "best lines" or photos have been cut.
That brings me to editing - where my golden words meet the editor's red pen (or "delete" key).
First I show the column to Pat, who often gets me back on the right track, as she did with this column. But she can't be too critical because I get to final-edit her knitting guild newsletter.
Then it's on to the Foothills Star. There, remarkable things happen; the editor improves punctuation and sentence structure, fixes spelling errors, and even fact-checks important issues. (Editors hate to run corrections or retractions.) This only works up to a certain threshold of editing time, though. I cross that threshold and I can expect an e-mail about "cleaning up my act."
As a regular columnist I had to develop a thick skin about the responses some columns generate, especially when talking about controversial issues such as a cross-Foothills freeway. I've had to tighten my "glutes" on a few.
I also have achieved a certain amount of notoriety. My friends at the gym are big fans. I was introduced as a celebrity at my homeowners' association meeting. And one guy even told me recently I am taller in person than my photo makes me appear!
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E-mail Bob Ring at ringbob1@aol.com or view his Web site, ringbrothershistory.com
