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Original poster

Advice from journalist MNers - WWYD?

25 replies

edam · 18/02/2007 11:58

Help! I've got a deadline next Weds and a 3.5 yo ds who has gone down with chickenpox. So he can't go to nursery school or the childminder. I'm freelance, working from home. Thing is, he feels really miserable so I'm not confident that I can spend much/any time on the phone - I have seven interviews to do. Dh might be able to take Tues off but that doesn't really give me the opportunity to set up and conduct seven interviews.

It's a weekly magazine. The commissioning editor is someone I sort of know. I've only done one commission for her before. Usual c e on this title is off on maternity leave - this woman is childless. And acting up part-time - she is still doing her other job on a sister title most of the week so doesn't have time to fanny about.

So, how bad do you think it is going to look if I call her on Monday and say, sorry, I can't do it/will need an extension? I have the horror of leaving her with blank pages (having been an editor myself). And I'm not sure pre-children that I'd really have understood quite how impossible it is tbh.

Any thoughts/ideas welcomed...

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Aloha · 18/02/2007 12:07

Firstly, I know how stressful this sort of thing is! Do you really want to do this feature? If so, I'd suggest you set up all the interviews for the evening. People often quite like that as it means they can relax and be interviewed in privacy. Ring to set up the interviews for a specific time while your ds is there (I explain that my child is at home sick so please ignore sudden noises and people are very understanding I find - interviewed a top cancer consultant with dd on my knee the other day until dh came home!) and ask a neighbour or friend to come in and sit with your ds for 30mins or whatever while you talk on the phone, and book any overs back to back on Tuesday morning when your dh is there (he must make definite arrangements asap!) and write it up on Tuesday evening/night.
Do you really need to do all seven? Is it seven first persons? What's the word count?
And yes, it is OK to ask for an extension - they may not need it quite as quickly as they said they did - and if that's not possible, you could discuss how they could help. They may have a work experience or editorial assistant who could set things up for you or do a Lexis search for quotes and background.

Carmenere · 18/02/2007 12:08

So it is due next wednesday, ie you have 3days? I would ensure that dh takes Tuesday off as your work is as important as his and you both are parents of a child with Chicken Pox. Tommorow set up as many of the interviews as possible for Tuesday and do them whilst dh is home to occupy ds and it is also worth remembering that some people like to be interviewed in the evening after they have finished their working day(although this does depend on if you are interviewing them on work related subjects).
Work all of Wednesday night and collapse onto the sofa with ds to doze and watch crap tv after you have filed.
If you are really stuck you need to ask for an extension as soon as possible so she can rearrange her editing schedule.
Sorry I don't know if I have been of any help but I do feel for you and have been in similiar positions in the past.

wheelsonthebus · 18/02/2007 12:21

buy a favourite video for your child and let them watch it - the one bonus of being sick is yr parents let you watch endless tv if it cheers you up. my dd had a hideous virus last week and was off all week from nursery. my mother came up to care for her, bought her a Barney video (i know, i know) and she loved it. She didn't have the energy to do anything else. It's not ideal, but it's a distraction. But Aloha's advice is v sound. Do as much as you can at night, and tell your interviewees that the interviews can't be more than 5 mins long max as you have a lot of ground to cover.

NurseyJo · 18/02/2007 12:24

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Original poster

edam · 18/02/2007 12:39

Thanks, all good advice. Nursey, I'm going to try a local nanny agency, but not sure nannies will be keen to take on a child with chickenpox?

Aloha, it's 1300 words and the seven people are written into the brief (God knows how I'd squeeze them into 1300 words though).

It is a work topic for a trade mag so not sure how keen people will be to talk in the evening, tbh, although I did this last week with someone who just wasn't around in the day.

Wheels, nice idea, we already have Cbeebies on but he wants mummy to cuddle him while he's watching so sadly the normal 'watch some Beebies darling, mummy's a bit busy' won't work this time. Aarrggh.

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NurseyJo · 18/02/2007 12:40

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Original poster

edam · 18/02/2007 12:40

Oh, and I've just heard from one of my best friends that she's got a job as a health corr on a national. Am very pleased for her, she deserves it, but can't quite help feeling miserable about my own lack of career at the moment. Oh well, guess I chose to go freelance part time in order to be around ds so shouldn't complain.

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Original poster

edam · 18/02/2007 12:41

North East Herts, near St Albans, Nursey.

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NurseyJo · 18/02/2007 12:42

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Aloha · 18/02/2007 13:09

Seven interviews for 1,300 words?? They are having a larf! What's it about?

WideWebWitch · 18/02/2007 13:14

Edam, I am off tomorrow as ds's school has an extra day on half term and both mine have had cp so if you wanted me to have him and if you think he'd come to me, I reckon I'm an hour ish from you. Any good? I realise it's not ideal but it would give you a clear day. I think you've got my email which is my real firstname.surname at g mail d o t com. We have a house full of cool boys toys. But I realise he may not be happy to come because he doesn't know me! Dd will be here too, she's 3 and my mum is bringing ds back about lunchtime. Anyway, it's an offer.

Judy1234 · 18/02/2007 13:46

My sister had a similar issue recently. She called a nanny agency and got someone to the house (I think her child had chicken pox too or may have been sickness) and my sister could work at home whilst the child was cared for. She got someone at about 15 hours notice. And get your husband to arrnage all this. This is not just your problem but his if he wants to go into work on those days!

Original poster

edam · 18/02/2007 13:53

WWW, that is am amazingly kind offer! Are you sure you really mean it?! Need a gratitute emoticon... Will email you.

Xenia, I am so with you, but on the other hand dh has a Proper Job in a company so I think all I can hope for is Tuesday, really. We have always split childcare during crises, it's just bloody unfortunate that my deadline is so pants. Although I could have started the feature last week, but was working flat out on something else...

Aloha, it's about something very boring - new legislation forcing primary care trusts and councils to work together.

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Aloha · 18/02/2007 14:50

I was going to suggest starting it today. ie looking up the legislation on the internet, getting quotes from important people from the net, and doing a rough draft with gaps where you would like the quotes to go, so you can see what you actually need from the interviews (yes, I know it's sort of cheating, but needs must and all) and that will help you know who you absolutley must interview and how many words you will need from them so you can save time on the interviews.

motherinferior · 18/02/2007 15:19

Huge commiserations, my love. (I take it meeting up on Tuesday's off, then?) I second the 'draft with gaps' proposal (ahem, that's what I've been doing with something else); and if it's any help at all I can winch in a local government person who won't be in the brief but is quite senior and is a mate of mine so could probably fit in a five minute convo one evening...

WWW, you're a STAR.

Original poster

edam · 18/02/2007 15:41

MI, yes, damn it, is looking unlikely. Will email you. Aloha, I know, but it's about amendments to the Act currently going through parliament and I can't find the blasted things. Put in a call to Dept of Health last week who haven't come back to me and have been too busy with ds to chase. (They are renowned as the worst press office in government, and that's saying something).

Thank you for the advice everyone, much appreciated.

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motherinferior · 18/02/2007 15:42

It can't be worse than the DfES press office, can it?

LGA press office first thing tomorrow?

wheelsonthebus · 18/02/2007 15:46

health corr on a national; genuinely i would not want that job. the health patch is absolutely huge. i have a friend who is a health ed on a major publication and she is rung day and night; in fact she has just quit. don't be jealous. it's not a great job.

motherinferior · 18/02/2007 15:48

Oh, I missed that bit: I feel your pain, Edam, but remember that - for you, and Aloha, and many lovely others - being freelance is a choice.

(Me, I'm a talentless twerp, but you lot are the biz.)

Aloha · 18/02/2007 15:49

Bollocks MI. That's what I say to you, bollocks
Working on papers is grimarola.

motherinferior · 18/02/2007 15:50

Original poster

edam · 18/02/2007 15:51

I know, I know, some of my best friends etc. etc. (and indeed many have left for those reasons). Still can't help being a bit green, though.

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Monkeytrousers · 18/02/2007 17:39

Where is your skincare thread MI??

Monkeytrousers · 18/02/2007 21:43

Oh my god, killed it stone dead with a hijack

Original poster

edam · 19/02/2007 10:03

Update for all the lovely people who lent me their brains... spoke to my mate who is a colleague of the commissioning editor last night. She thought ce would be fine with an extension, and despite being on leave, said if not she can give her colleague details of other freelancers. And three days' notice for a weekly mag would give time to find someone else. So I've called the editor and she thinks extension will be fine but is going to call me back when she's checked (she's only doing the title I'm working for part-time, has another job Mon-Weds on a sister title).

So thank you for your advice! I was trying to remember how I'd have felt pre-kids as an editor on a weekly title and couldn't decide how to play it...

Oh, and I hear what you are all saying about being health corr on a national, and I know it's true and it is not where I want to be for the foreseeable. Have had big, important job and chose to step down. But can't help a slight pang at the same time as being very pleased for her (long overdue tbh, she should have got herself out there long ago).

Bless you all for your help, esp. WWW who is a star of Alpha Centuri status.

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