In a mistake-filled funk

I used to avoid reading the Saturday paper when I got in that slump because I knew I have a paper-cut mistake....
Sometimes, on the way back from a game, I would call and ask if I wrote something... wrong. I knew, but dont know how... and I was right.

 

two ideas.

just proofread the crap out of it, like the other folks said... i like the "bottom to top" approach.

seek out a stud on your desk (if you have one), and ask for some TLC help until you work it out.

 

Well technically you are not wrong on the fullback being a running back. Nothing wrong with that. At least you didn't call him a wing back or a tailback.

 

Clear your mind. It happens to all of us. Go for a long, mind-cleansing drive. Or go to the zoo and watch the animals. Do something different you normally wouldn't do. Go hang at the mall and watch people. Go to the gym for a vigorous workout.

Just don't dwell on it. You'll be fine.

 

Some good responses here. I think it's all about getting back to fundamentals and, just like a batting slump, to beat it you've got to refocus on the basics and break down the swing. The worst thing to do is to think of it as some huge monolith of a problem (ie. communism in the era of "containment" or some Boggs-ian superstition, like you failed to eat chicken for dinner last night). Not only will this kind of thinking overwhelm you, but it's not likely to produce any positive, tangible adjustments.

Try and look at the anatomy of the mistakes. The ones you offer as examples aren't biggies--copy desk certainly could've asked on the "running back" issue--well, is he a tailback, fullback, wingback, slot back, half back, etc.?--with the idea that you want to be as precise as possible whenever possible. As for the six 'stead seven reference, the anatomy of this one, I imagine, stems from a reliance on facts that you think you know. And we all know that those are the ones you want to check first (this is a terrible problem for some folks, but it doesn't seem to be yours). When you plug in these kinds of details, think about where you're drawing that information from. If you aren't certain, look it up, ask the guy next to you, call a coach, or just cut it out or write around it.

 

I'm guessing it's overload and being over-worked. That's what it is in my case.

Three and four stories a day coupled with three or four briefs and a notebook and suddenly there's no time to a) think clearly or b) give those stories a third read.

I want to give everything three and four reads, but at the same time, I sometimes want to get home after a nine or 10-hour day.

 

If you have time, I'd go with the advice to go through each fact with a fine toothed comb. Even the seemingly obvious stuff, look up.

The advice to find someone on desk or someone else whose opinion you respect and have her or him look at it is also solid. I do that every now and then by sending my stuff to a former employee. I still have one of his e-mails in which he ripped one of my columns a new asshole. I keep it as a wake-up call.

 

I'm with you, brother. I made two sizable mistakes this past week that I normally would NEVER let slip through. Gotta be tired is all. But still, I felt like I punched myself in the face twice.

rb

 

Thanks for all the help, guys. Much appreciated.

As an update ...

My most recent story, I went through as was suggested. I printed it out, circled all the facts as if I had never seen the story before and knew nothing about it. I highlighted each one as I checked them. One problem, though. I got tripped up by one of our own stories. I checked my story against his, and it turns out he made a mistake we didn't know about, and it sort of got repeated in mine. It was just leaving a team out of a list when they should have been on it, and it's (again) not a big mistake, but it's still there. Makes me feel a little snake-bit.

But I felt a lot better about the story after going through it like that. I'll try to keep doing that when I can. And it doesn't look like there were any problems in my deadline stuff from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I've written stories a million times before, but it's almost like I'm starting over, trying to re-learn some things about fact-checking and all that. I know I can get past this but, if not, there's always ditch digging.

 

I'll say again. Eight hours of good sleep (or even better, a day off) helps me the most.

 

Wow. I didn't know other journalists made mistakes this much(ok not much). I've messed up a few times and everytime I do I get upset about it. I like the suggestion of not dwelling on it because that's what I do, I'm real bad about that.
That and when I screw up I have parents reminding me about it for weeks.

 

I'm with you - I'm super hard on myself for stupid mistakes, so its good to see I'm not the only one. It's only human, and I've found taking a deep breath and stepping back (i.e. not even thinking about the newspaper world on my day off if I can help it) really helps me regroup.