by Matthew Gventer

As PIC Press has matured, so has the process of writing for the paper.

The section editor is the writer's first link with the production team. Because the section editors are occupied with specific subject areas (e.g. news, arts, etc.), they can concentrate on that subject area. This means that they have a better grasp of what is going on in that theatre and can address submissions with greater expertise. Furthermore, they can concentrate their energies on the contribution at hand, which means the writer gets more help and direction as needed.

But it is still the writer's article, and the line of development that the writer follows is still up to the writer. The development of writer's guidelines for PIC Press has encouraged a professional, journalistic approach with better documentation of information. This expectation has drawn me into territory that was uncharted for me.

I wrote three articles in recent months and each one has led to greater involvement in community affairs. I wrote an article on injured workers who are trying to deal with the Worker's Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Exposure to the issues raised my concerns about the biases against injured workers in the new legislation. So I have continued to participate with the new support group in Kingston and even have taken training to provide assistance to injured workers who have to deal with the WSIB.

I wrote an article on the Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) and the implication of economic growth on our ecological footprint. This led me in a variety of directions that I am continuing to develop. One of these is the role of our community in the development of wind turbine energy. I am also trying to keep in touch with the biotechnology initiatives of Queen's University which include work in genetically modified food.

One of the most rewarding and challenging developments emanates from an interview I did in preparation for the article on KEDCO. Officers of the Kingston Committee for Responsible Development spoke about a number of development issues including the concerns that face people trying to maintain heritage standards in the downtown. They also spoke about the place of the community in waterfront development. I hope to be able to write about their ideas and suggestions in the future.

The editors have a number of leads for future articles. They also look for ideas from the community. They provide those leads or suggestions to people willing to write the articles. I always discuss potential articles with the editors before writing. I have found their guidance regarding sources of information and people to interview friendly and useful.

PIC Press, as a maturing newspaper, has tight space standards. We are a newspaper and not a magazine. That means that our articles need to be concise and reader-friendly. Anyone who knows me knows how hard that is for me to do. And deadlines! The paper must be set to go two weeks before the first of the month. My mouth goes dry thinking about waiting for a source to get back to me so that I can round out or confirm the information in an article. But it's worthwhile in the end. In short, I encourage you to write for PIC Press.

Not only is it important, but it is fun and challenging.

Matthew Gventer is a member of PIC's board of directors.