Q: I am a reporter with a newspaper that I've been with for about a year. I love my beat, love the city I live in, and I absolutely love my editor. The problem that I have is that today my editor (after telling me I'm doing a splendid job on my beat, covering education) told me I'm going to be under the guise of another editor, who is not as smart or overall, as good of an editor as him.
She's learning the ropes as an editor and I feel like I'm one of many "experiments" she's undertaken with new reporters. I feel crushed. I told my editor honestly that I had reservations with this change, and he told me that if this change wasn't to work out, I could talk to him about it, but I can't help but think this means something about my abilities as a writer/reporter.
I came to this newspaper to work under this editor and now, he's putting me off on someone else. I feel like my confidence has waned and totally unmotivated now and I'm not fully sure why.
Lost
A: Toughen up.
You came into this business to be a journalist and not to work for this particular editor. These relationships, while important, are temporary. If you stick with journalism, you will work for many editors, some good and some bad. You may even become an editor -- and some people will say you're good, while others say you're not.
Stay close to this great editor. He can always be a mentor. Give this new editor a chance, figure out what she has to offer and take advantage of that.
And do not take a change in editors so personally. These things happen, often for reasons that have nothing to do with an individual reporter.
You face a test. Show some steel.
