Saturday, November 17, 2007

Streamlining the Stream Line at ASBPE Cleveland

Do you like fishing? I do. Back when I started fishing, there wasn't much to it -- just a rod, a line, some bait and some time.

Now, there's a whole lot of technology involved -- you've got your fish finders, depth finders, GPS units, graphite rods, multi-jointed lures and synthetic fish hormone to dip them in.

And even with all that, sometimes you still don't catch a damn thing.

The job of "journalist" has also gotten changed quite a bit by technology in the last 15 years, and many days it doesn't feel like an improvement to me. Sometimes it seems like I'm constantly fishing for the right information, and even with the most cutting edge tools and all the time in the world, I still can't pull any keepers into my boat.

This doesn't mean I've given up on the technology, though -- far from it. In fact, one of the things that we'll be trying to do on this blog is to clue you in on anything new we come across that might help you do your job more quickly and efficiently, so you can keep your scales tipped the right way on work/life balance and maybe drop a line in the water yourself.

We'll also be fishing for your comments on editorial issues and controversies, as well as talking about the exploits of intrepid writers and editors, designers and publishers blazing trails out in the wild world.

And, of course, we'll save room for some fish stories, both the ones we landed and the ones that got away. Come back soon, hear?