Re: The REAL problem with the $75,000 story


"David Ames" <worldrecord@xxxxxxxx> wrote

Yesterday I was on the premises of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
I noticed an internal job posting for an editor -- with professional
qualifications, of course -- at $53K and up. If you guess the Chess
Life editor's position is basically cut-and-paste, if you suppose a job
really worth doing is worth only in the low twenties, then I think you
offer a low opinion of what Chess Life is or can be.

First of all I did not describe it as *only* cut and paste. I drew up a
reasonable scenario of what a decent first attempt at a website might be,
listed a number of operations it might involve, and gave an honest estimate
of how much time they would take. Yes, the part involving the transfer of
content from CL to a web template does involve a good deal of cutting and
pasting, with the value-added components I mentioned.

The Federal Reserve Bank job probably involves knowledge of HTML or some
higher web language, and inputing information all day long. The web editor
job would be infinitely more fun than entering FRB data, especially for a
chess player. I would even consider doing it for that salary, even though it
is less than I normally charge for my services, because of the enjoyment
factor. I look at it this way: I already waste a good part of my day on
chess, for which nobody pays me. I would imagine a good many USCF members
with reasonable chess skills, who are professional writers or editors, feel
the same way I do. Which is one of the sad things about not having
advertised this position.

Second, I was describing the web editor job, which would be an add-on to
current editorial operations. I was not describing the job of CL editor, as
in wrote.

Third, there are *many* jobs worth doing for a pro-rated annual income of
about $80-100,000. Many of us peons toiled and continue to toil at jobs we
believe are meaningful for a good deal less than that. I dare say some
people reading this post make not much more than the figure I suggested for
laboring close to a full week at a supermarket or pet store.

Finally, I don't need a goddamned lecture from the likes of you. Whether the
"product" as I outlined it would be read by anyone is certainly a valid
point for discusssion. If you want to argue about how much time it would
take to do the job I outlined, or the possibility of finding a quality
person for that $$, or whether the final product would be worth reading, you
would be wrong, but at least it would be your opinion. But don't make up
bull*** about my "low opinion" about something I wasn't even talking about.
Save the fiction for your memoirs.

I forgot more about online and magazine publishing during my nasty coughing
fit this afternoon than you have ever known.

Angelo DePa1ma



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