The daily output of short web articles at my internship is starting to burn out. Most of my sentences are re-written so when I come in every morning I hardly recognize the articles I toil over for hours. I respect the editor's decision to make those changes but it leaves me frustrated that I can't put together a perfect piece. I've been writing for campus publications since high school but I can't seem to hack it at my first professional news job.
I recognize some of my mistakes. I often don't put the newsworthy information at the top or in the lead. It irks me that I can write and re-write and still end up with these simple mistakes. Fortunately, my editors have been patient with me but I think I'm going to ask for extra help in writing.
Part of the reason I feel so bad is because the problem has humbled me a lot. I came into this internship with a lot of confidence related to my years of experience. I had courage in doing phone interviews the first day and collaborating with my co-workers. I haven't felt ashamed of my American accent or lack of knowledge about the non-profit sector. Now I feel a little smaller. Maybe I am still a student and a novice in the journalism world. My Dad said an interesting thing in an email recently: "Make each day better than yesterday." I will take his advice and learn from my mistakes rather than crumble under the pressure.
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