I was about to send my book on freelancing for newspapers to the publisher when I suddenly remembered something a friend had said about a little gadget she used to record her thoughts. It wasn't a tape recorder. That reminded me of the teenager in music class who had placed her laptop computer on the floor, pushed a button, and said, "I'm recording."
Uh-oh.
In my chapter on interviewing, I had gone on and on about tapes and tape recorders. But apparently something else had been invented while I wasn't looking. I mentioned this to my brother the lawyer. His response: "Oh yeah, everybody uses digital recorders." Like, duh, where have you been? On a tiny gadget that fits in your pocket, one can now record interviews or anything else on micro memory cards, then load them into the computer. There's even a transcription program that will put it all into English while you go out for a latté.
Dang. And I've been juggling tapes and spending hours transcribing my interviews. Who knew? I had to change every tape recorder reference in my book to include digital media.
It was the third time I had had to revise a section to keep up with technology that had changed in the four years since I wrote the lessons on which the book is based. First I had to switch around the submissions information to acknowledge that in the newspaper biz, e-mail submissions are the norm; all that razzle-dazzle about paper manuscript format, 9 x 12 envelopes, postage and SASEs is passé. Snail-mail submissions still work for magazines and books, as far as I know. But if you're going to write for newspapers, use e-mail unless told otherwise.
I also had to redo the section on photography. As recently as four years ago, I was advising writers to find out whether the editor wanted black and white or color film or slides or, in rare cases, digital photos. By the time I finished the book, I was out of date again. Everybody has gone digital. Yes, some magazine and book editors still prefer film, believing it offers better quality, but newspapers want you to e-mail your photos along with your e-mailed manuscript.
I have seen 35mm film cameras that originally cost hundreds or thousands of dollars for sale at second-hand stores for $25. In fact, I have three of those cameras, a dozen lenses, several flash attachments and a whole darkroom setup in the closet. I guess my heirs can put them on display at the Sue Lick museum after I die, along with my portable cassette player and the Windows 98 computer gathering dust in the garage.
Do I even need to mention that computers go out of date faster than cottage cheese?
So what's a writer to do? If being up-to-date matters in what you're writing, you'd better find out about the latest gear and master the terminology. Read, ask questions, check out what's on sale at the electronics stores. Borrow a friend's Blackberry and see how it works.
But the fact that new technology exists does not mean you have to run out and buy it. If what you have works fine and serves your purposes, stick with it. You have to have e-mail these days, but you don't have to have the latest computer if you're happy with the one you've got. Likewise, if you love your old camera and are still shooting film, just ask the folks at the photo shop to make you a CD along with your prints; then you can e-mail digital photos like everyone else. And if your tape recorder does the job, tape away--unless someone gives you a digital recorder for Christmas (hint, hint).
Things change so quickly these days that you could spend all your time and money buying and learning to use new gear. It's fun, but it's not writing. The most important tools are in your head and your heart; they can't be bought at a store.
Besides, if the power goes out or your batteries run dead, all that expensive equipment is just a bunch of useless metal and plastic. Got paper and a pencil?
***
P.S. My book on freelancing for newspapers is due out this spring from Quill Driver Books. I'll let you know when they start taking orders.
Copyright 2006 Sue Fagalde Lick
About the Author: SUE FAGALDE LICK is a former newspaper editor turned full-time freelance writer. She has published four books, countless articles and many poems and stories. She teaches writing workshops online and at Oregon Coast Community College. Visit her web site at http://www.suelick.com.
Tape Recorder? That's So 1995
