The Buzz of the Creative Team

My friend Mary (Play off the Page) and I have talked on more than one occasion about the thrill and vitality of being part of a creative team. Both of us have experienced having a part in the play (team), as well as times of working on our scripts (projects) in solo form, and agree each has its pros and cons.

I’m thinking also about the music I do for church. In the past I’ve enjoyed being part of a choir but also have loved serving as a cantor. The freedom of not having to show up for a choir rehearsal has been a good match for me as a mother, allowing me to feel that I’m sharing my talents but without taking too much from my family; i.e., rising before the rest of my brood for a 30-minute rehearsal with just the pianist before Mass. 

It’s interesting, though, how when a mother moves into a new season, many pathways change in tandem. My new job, for example, came just a few weeks prior to my husband and I deciding to rejoin our contemporary choir group, Metanoia. Immediately, we both recognized the life-giving quality of being part of a group of musicians. It’s exhilarating when musicians come together for a common goal, creating harmonies and other variations that aren’t possible with a lone cantor.
 
Enter my new reporting job at our local daily. Though I’ve deeply appreciated the chance to fashion my own schedule these past years, again based on my family’s needs, I’ve rarely been privy to the entire creative process. But last Tuesday, I was dramatically reminded of how it feels to be part of the whole when I stepped foot into my new work space. There’s nothing quite like the hum of a busy newsroom. And having a firsthand glimpse of how a newspaper comes together — seeing all the parts in motion — has given me a charge of new energy. 

In one newsroom from my past, one of my co-workers referred to us reporters as humble working bees. Perhaps some are less humble than others, but there’s no doubt that the general feel of a newsroom is one of intensity and life.

The layout of The Forum newsroom is circular. There’s a section for the sports writers, another section where the photographers hang out, a hub where the editors sit and make their decisions, a block of desks where the technical-oriented guys work, and that all circles around to the reporter pods. Mine is pretty much right in the middle so that I see people coming and going and hear a lot of the buzz of our workplace. Around 3 p.m., the obit gals come in and start making their phone calls. Throughout the day there are meetings and discussions about upcoming editions and hourly conversations among individuals coordinating pieces so that it all comes together.

The next day, the process begins all over again.

My appreciation and respect for the newsroom and what is accomplished there every day has been renewed in my short time being on staff, and I have to say, it feels good to be a small working bee among many, helping to gather and fashion stories so that the reading public can better connect with its community. Newspapers end up taking a lot of slack at times, but I still believe in the mission, and am glad to be part of it.

Q4U: When have you experienced the buzz of the creative team? What role did you play?