editing,
leadership, &
team building
1. Editing
Outline Editing
Ledes
1. In my opinion, the most important part of an outline is the Intro/Lede. In this story about the special education program's transition to online learning, I told the writer to communicate the angle, which specially covers HOW it is happening and not the fact that learning is more conducive in an in-person environment. When editing ledes, I make sure they are specific and the most relevant information, so readers know what the story is about.
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2. Because this was a News story and we write with the inverse triangle, I suggested the writer to include the critical information of "What is the ACT program?" because most people do not know what it does. After elaborating on it, the writer could then explain how the program has changed.
Flow
1. This story was about our school mental health policy, so I wanted the writer to make that very clear from the start. After lede, I suggested that the writer to make that clear by introducing how this story is about the school by mention its current policies. Then it could move on to policies in different states. When editing outlines, I make sure that every section flows into the other, so it has a logical progress when it is written.
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2. Because this is an opinion story, I told the writer to state her thesis early on like an argumentative essay. That way, the story has a clear structure and readers can know the writer's perspectives early on.
Interview
Questions
Additionally, when writers come up with outlines, I also focus on questions they draft for their interviews. Because interviews play an integral role in articles, I help writers brainstorm important questions to ask, which can help them find out about the most interesting answers and facts, especially when it is a feature on someone (like this one)!
Contacting Sources
I am also a firm believer in reaching out to sources early. From personal experience, I learned how helpful it can be, so I always urge my writers to start it early. Whether it be as Editor-in-Chief or News Editor, I make sure writers get it done. That way, they can have a fulfilling story that they don't have to stress about.
Draft Editing
When I edit stories, I review all grammar and AP style in addition to editing large ideas and word phrasing. Oftentimes, that requires me to jump back up to review a section, but I think this way allows me to better understand the story. Editing to me means clearing up the flow and catching mistakes.
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Having been a section editor and now the Editor-in-Chief, I have a comprehensive understanding of AP style. From simple oxford commas to political attributions to sports game scores to independent clauses after colons, I know it all.
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However, most of my work isn’t with AP style; it is focused on helping writers improve their writing style, idea development and writing sophistication. Sometimes, I directly suggest on their documents, but more often than not, I comment, so writers themselves can think about my comments and learn from them, instead of me giving it to them. As a section editor, I originally thought providing the answers was better feedback, but I have since learned that editing is about helping others become better writers, which requires them to critically think about comments and not just accept direct edits.
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As I edit stories, I content for flow. As shown in my outline editing, I want every idea to flow into the other. That is why I pay a lot of attention to transitions and make sure that they are logical and clear. My editors taught me that readers often don’t have the same understanding as the writer, so editors have to help writers bridge that divides, which is what I try to do for others now.
I also have a system of making sure all stories are edited and those that need extra help are supported. After the 2nd draft of every issue, I take a few hours to read and lightly edit all stories in the paper, giving positive motivation and constructive criticism about the progress. For the stories that are well written with most interviews completed, needing just more polishing, I mark it gray on our paper’s “Nag Sheet.” Those that are close to done I mark yellow or blue. Finally, I identify the stories that need extra support, or what we like calling needing “Extra Love <3.” That is when I come in and provide hands-on feedback for the story to provide extra suggestions that can help the writers. Sometimes, they cannot find sources, so I would give them suggestions and connect them with people I know. Other times, they will be stuck about what to write. Then, I would prompt them with ideas in long-form comments. However, I make sure not to write it for them. However, I would provide them with a sentence structure outline that gives them an idea about what I think would work well there. By going through this whole process of identifying and giving “Extra love <3” to some stories, I make sure that all articles are close to done when we start production, the last stretch before we publish stories
Every single issue, we create a new Nag Sheet where we mark each story's progress. This one showcases most stories being completed and already placed on their respective pages.
Flow and
Passive Voice
1. This sentence didn't flow when I read it because the phrasing was awkward and not clearly understandable. Additionally, the subject of the sentence wasn't the rankings itself but HOW it is ranked. As a result, I asked the writers to rephrase the sentence and structure it more logically; that way, the transition between the paragraphs are smooth and logical.
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2. The two highlight box are examples of me editing the phrasing of sentences, so they are condensed and easy to follow. For example, I changed the passive voice "The U.S. News college ranking was published in 1983" to "The U.S. News published its first rankings in 1983" to make the sentence active and clear to readers. Similarly, for the second box, I rephrased some sentences for clarity, replacing words like "due to" and "were made" with strong verbs like "tweaked," "capture" and "emphasize."
Clarity of Thought
Another very important thing I edit for is the meaning of sentences, especially when writers have a different meaning from what they are expressing. In this sentence, the phrase "the opportunity for a new start" makes it seem like Wu doesn't like her life here—maybe even having something gone completely wrong—which is likely not what the writer intended. As a results, I suggested another idea that the writer could focus on, being what Wu is looking forward to in the East Coast, like "a different culture/region for diversity."
AP Style
Editing for AP style. In this short story, I edit AP style details like numbers, dates, capitalizations, attributions, special characters and more.
Taking a photo with my predecessors as Editors-in-Chief, Elena Williams (left) and Anusha Kothari (right).
News Editor vs. Editor-in-Chief
My skills as Editor-in-Chief were built off of my experience as New Editor, but the editing responsibility and style are very different. As a News Editor, I focused only on my section, so I played a larger role in editing every draft of every story. It was a lot of work because I had to edit 6 stories every 2-3 days, which was editing every day for me. Throughout last year, I focused on large ideas but also on small things like AP style and grammar. That well-rounded experience helped me become a better editor to give suggestions to others.
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As Editor-in-Chief this year, I have taken a step back from the day-to-day editing of stories. I do take a look, but less often, as I also have to be in charge of organizing class logistics and design (our paper is split into copy, our paper’s content, and design). However, I still take a look at every story in every other draft. Knowing that I have a finite amount of time and over 30 stories instead of just 6, I work with my co-editor to provide comments that focus on the main idea, transitions, logical flow, and clarity of thoughts. Letting my younger editors take care of the small fixes like AP style and awkward phrasing, I can comment on how stories are structured, something I have the most experience and am best at providing feedback on.
2. Leadership
Our production game plan for both our print sections and our web program. It includes what people should be working on from 2:00pm-9:30pm and highlights important notes when creating and finalizing pages.
Taking a selfie with my co-Edior-in-Chief, Mei Corricello, after completing an issue and sending our paper to press.
Being a leader is one of the hardest things. In a publication with 36 students, there are many differing opinions, and it comes down to me to prioritize which efforts and projects.
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During class, my co-editor Mei and I start every class with announcements. It can sometimes be as short as, “Hey! Welcome to class! Just a reminder that the next draft is due tomorrow!” Other times, though, it can take a long time when we are going through massive changes and when the end of the issue draws near. Traditionally, our adviser Mr. Miller started classes, but we wanted to emphasize that this publication is student-run and driven, which is why we decided to start classes this year.
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After the start of class, the work starts! As Editor-in-Chief, I was initially very confused about what I should do, our copy editors are in charge of contenting stories and design editors are in charge of page layouts. Over the past few months, I found what I do best and love the most is organizing logistics, interacting with the staff and providing them with direct feedback on design. As a result, I spend almost every class day walking around to sections, asking how their day has been going and providing feedback and motivation on pages (to learn more, check out Design).
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Then, as the final stretch of the issue comes, I lead our class productions. I set a schedule and am always the first person in the room, writing the print schedules on the whiteboards, so sections can print their papers. I walk around the room checking up on progress and commenting on how to improve layout and graphics while also helping our copy editors edit and final stories. When dinner time comes, I assign staffers to help organize the dinner and release sections to pick up food based on their progress. At the end of production, I work with the rest of my Ed Board to final all page layouts. Then, my co-editor and I compile all the pages together on a master layout before uploading it to the press to be published!
Day-2-Day Responsibilities
An agenda that I created for our Ed Board meeting. Our managing editor Elliu Huang likes adding funny twists to our documents, like highlighting how "Bonnie Chang," my make-belief twin, was absent.
Meeting up with our Ed Board to talk about story selection and how we can better support staffers going into the second semester of the school year.
Behind the Scenes
Although some of what I do as the head of the paper happens during class, most of it wouldn’t be possible without the behind-the-scenes planning and work. To make all that possible, I seek feedback from the staff and those I work with about how to improve the paper.
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I organize most of our leadership meetings, in which editors provide feedback for each other and about our publication. Before every Ed Board meeting, I make the agenda about what we need to discuss in the meetings. Sometimes, our meetings occur during class while others are online; however, every time, they cover pressing issues like how to support our young online program, what stories to chose for our centerspread issue, how to restructure our leadership team for next year, and how to get more underclassmen to apply to the Epic. By assessing our flaws and thinking of ways to improve, I seek to make the paper even better. There is a lot of miscellaneous work like drafting proposals and documents for Ed Board to review, but I enjoy doing so because it helps me know what I want to talk to my Ed Board about. Based on their input, we make a decision together and strive to implement it through our respective positions.
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Other than that, I work with our Managing Editor, Elliu Huang, to organize our pitch calls with section editors, who pick stories for their sections. This provides a way for us to hear about the pitch ideas and provide feedback, mentoring them to become better journalists and editors. These one-on-one times are valuable in elevating our publication’s coverage.
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Outside of class, I also help edit stories at home. I either divide the work into two days, spending 90 minutes each day editing, or do everything at once. It is just a lot of typing and reading, but it is still fun, as I enjoy seeing others’ growth.
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Other than tangible work, I also provide feedback to others. My co-editor and I organize feedback chats with every staffer and section editor. Having evaluation of peers every issue, we work together to compile all the feedback given. Combined with our observations, we sit down with the individual to share about how they can improve. I believe that the only way to improve is by fostering these honest discussions, and I hope that our talks can help staffers grow.
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As a leader, I also embrace feedback about how to improve my performance. For every issue, I get evaluations about how I have done, and I draft ways that I can further improve it. For example, after issue 1 as Editor-in-Chief, I got feedback that staffers wanted more writing feedback from me. As a result, I put a bigger emphasis to visit every document and provide long written suggestions to let them know suggestions. I also actively seek feedback. In previous years, there was this disconnect between the upperclassmen Ed Board members and the sophomore staffers. That is why I sent a welcome email, chatted with every staffer during our summer JCamp and learned about every member on staff to make me seem more approachable. During the school year, I also individually messaged every new staffer about how they were doing and how Ed Board can improve. By being communicative, I made the staff more comfortable sharing ideas and providing feedback to me. Last but not least, for those who still are too shy to share their honest opinion, I started an anonymous feedback form. That way, people can provide feedback anonymously if they didn’t feel comfortable saying it to someone.
A Vision, Boundless Possibilities
With many ideas, I compiled a 3 page, single-spaced list of ideas that I had and others had for the publication, within a week of being selected as Editor-in-Chief. By doing this early on, I sought to see what ideas everyone had and craft a vision that could incorporate everything.
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We started the year off by moving all our paper communication from Messenger to Slack, a positive change that makes communication more organized. Then, I made the Epic more fun and exciting, working with Mei to plan fun bonding activities during JCamp and bring bags of candy for our staff. Wanting to revitalize our paper’s design style, I worked with our Design Editors to draft the style guide and redesign our front page—and eventually every single page of every single section (more in Design). Other than our improved design, the most lasting change is our social media growth, which happened after I initiated our “Photo Calendar,” in which people would sign up to take photos for events and games (more in Web and Social Media).
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Last but not least, my last big project is revitalizing our staff recruitment. Starting now, I have drafted a plan that will increase applications and promote diversity (more in Commitment to Diversity).
The first page of goals I brainstormed before the start of the school year.
We Before Me
is one of my motos for being a leader. When I provide constructive criticism, I shed my desire to never have to confront people, so I can help others grow. Watching an NSPA/JEA Fall Convention session that highlighted how editors should eat last, I thought about myself and always being the last one to eat because the staffers are the ones finishing the intricate details of the paper. Without them, completing the paper wouldn’t be possible.
Staffers getting ready to deliver our Issue 2 newspaper to students during homeroom. We are all wearing our red crewnecks, and because of all the festivity, distribution day is one of my favorite days of the Epic!
Building Leaders
While I have a strong vision for the Epic, I know that my time on staff will end soon. That is why I empower others to embrace leadership and creativity. While I can tell a staffer to work on something, I chose to give that opportunity to section editors. That way, they can develop their interpersonal connection skills and learn how to assign and oversee work. While I can correct a mistake on a page design, I chose to spend more time guiding staffers through the process, so they too can do it in the future. There are countless cases when a section editor and staffer asks what I think should be done. Rather than deciding for them, I teach them to think for themselves, guiding them through my thinking process as an example. By empowering others to take initiative, find their voice and make decisions, I prepare my staff after I graduate. I believe that is the role of a leader. Helping others be the best that they can be.
My predecessor as Editor-in-Chief, Elena Williams, mentored me a lot, so I wanted to give back and help those younger than me become leaders as well.
3. Always Epicly Fun: Team Building
Last year as News Editor, I wanted to bring the exciting energy of in-person class into a virtual environment. It was very difficult, but I made sure to make everyone enjoy the time. As a section editor, I worked with my co-editor Youqi Huang to lead and plan section-time for every class.
We started issues with a bonding activity, so people in our section would be more comfortable working with us for the next month. While we could have just jumped right into work, I believe people work harder and produce better content when they enjoy their time. That is why we played a diverse selection of games like Skribbl.io, Among Us, Cards Against Humanity, and Jackbox Games. After breaking the ice and relaxing, we jumped into graphic design and writing. By fostering an environment in which downtime is embraced, I helped make our section one of the most fun ones!
News Editor
Three generations of News Editors: 2019-20's Sunny Li (left), 2020-21's Youqi Huang (second from left) and me and 2021-22's Amy Liu (right).
Watching No Time to Die and eating popcorn at the AMC theaters with Ed Board members Crystal Qian, Sharlene Chen and Lillian Fu.
Singing "Happy Birthday" to a new staffer during our annual JCamp, which was hosted at Monta Vista High School before the start of the 2021-22 school year.
Jasmine Rihal was the winner of our ugly sweater contest for the most untraditional outfit. She got a custom Epic sticker and a 3D Christmas tree to color as her prize.
Anwen Huang drinking from a paper plate because we ran out of cup and because she cannot waterfall.
Editor-in-Chief
As Editor-in-Chief, one of my main goals was to make the class a fun environment, bringing back the same excitement and energy that I felt when I first joined the in-person staff. As one of the few people who has experienced it, I wanted to let “newbies” experience what I love. During our annual JCamp with fellow FUHSD schools, our Ed Board greeted everyone when they arrived at the camp, making people feel welcomed and included. I even reached out to lonely people standing by themselves during breaks—people who weren’t even in my paper. I do this because I love interacting with others and want to make journalism fun and inclusive for everyone. Additionally, I worked with Mei to plan bonding activities with our staffers like Two Truths and a Lie, Have Your Ever and more, allowing us to know each staffer better. Throughout the whole time, I learned names, memorizing every person’s name with their masked face. Going around to every person to introduce myself, I broke the barrier between returners and newbies.
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Throughout the school year, we continued bonding activities, playing Mafia and more. Additionally, I worked with our Managing Editor to celebrate birthdays with Birthday Buddies, in which buddies would get each other gifts. On their birthday, they will give the gift and deliver a short speech, and the whole class will join in to sing an off-tune happy birthday song, an Epic tradition. Additionally, we also have our Secret Santa activity. On the last day of the semester, we put all the presents on the floor and rotate giving gifts. To make the day even more fun, I worked with our adviser to start an ugly sweater contest to see who has the best and most creative outfits. It was a huge success, with winners getting fun gifts. We also had a social in which staffers collected data for our Staff Editorial on our paper’s diversity. Mei bought pizza for everyone, and I walked around taking photos for the event. Combining work time with fun, we got people excited about our paper.
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Last but not least, we bond over productions. The atmosphere fosters fun and excitement, as we blast songs from all corners of the room and enjoy the time. I also started a vlog to record our progress and memories, which people enjoyed saying hi to. My favorite vlog was during a late-night production when our In-Depth editor Anwen Huang was super thirsty and drank water from a paper plate. Production time was also when Mei and I took photos for Letter from the Editors. To build on the holiday spirit, I brought Santa hats, and we matched wearing our red Epic sweaters (oh yeah! We always get matching merch for everyone). Then we had a photoshoot, which many staffers gathered around to watch and laugh over.
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Of course, I cannot leave out food. Being a big foodie, I always bring food for our publication because I believe it makes the class more fun and family-like. From JCamp to productions to socials to Holiday celebrations, I brought a variety of candy and snacks for people to feast off of!
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Additionally, I also organized Ed Board hangouts during the summer at Cupertino’s Main Street. We went together to eat corn dogs at the Myungrang Hot Dog and drank boba from MeetFresh. Hanging out for a couple of hours, we talked about Crystal Qian’s college recruitment and trips to Egypt to fence to Sharlene Chen and Lillian Fu’s experience going to art classes together. It was just a great time to hang out. Also, I organized a theater trip, in which we went to watch No Time to Die (I later wrote a review of it). Eating popcorn, drinking our slushies and soda and reflecting on the ending, we found friends we will always cherish. While my work as Editor-in-Chief requires a focus on forwarding our publication, I believe that interpersonal connections are equally important. By focusing on that, I hope that I have made the paper a fun place that fosters friendships that will last a lifetime.