Why being an editor is not an easy job!

I am the newsletter editor of a leading adventure club in hyderabad. the job of an editor is not really an easy one. Why? simply because of the sheer amount of editing to do. Wow shishir, i couldn't have expected a better answer!

Alright, hear the best one. My experience and understanding ever since i suggested the idea and took the responsibility of implementing it.

The first newsletter i designed was so so. It was so, so so, that the response i expected during the release of the newsletter, in a local pub, was nothing more than a dud. This was my entry in to the 'making' of the newsletter for the club. The first newsletter that i designed was on microsoft document and used an online tool to convert it into a PDF.

For the second newsletter, the organizer suggested me to use Publisher 2007. I did not know how to use it and i wasn't very keen on using it, having acquainted myself with the tedious work on document. Fine, shun the tediousness and try using a sample and modify it to suit to your needs.

The basic idea of a newsletter for me is this -
1. Keep the number of pages as less as possible. Unless you have too many stories to cover. This too is bad as too many stories ruin the movie.

2. Give a great deal of attention to the way the content is to be placed. This includes images, story, any gyaan that needs to be given, reminders, sectional division in pages.

3. Give credits to people who have contributed in writing. After all, it's their writing why not appreciate them for the effort. What's your problem? There might be lot of sentences cut out during the process of editing but make sure the contributor's name is shown and the link to the original post is given at the end.

4. Make it readable. your writing should reflect the fun quotient that people always expect from you.

5. Uniformity through out the newsletter - give a page to every article. The design of second article layout should be similar to first article layout. The synchronousness should reflect.


With these thoughts, i picked up a template, modified it to suit the need. Since i was new to publisher, i took a lot of time arranging - rearranging the layouts. It happened N number of times. I was glued to it. i would start with first page, make sure the boxes, story, images are in place and onyl then move onto next page and continue doing the same. I never realized the amount of time i'm killing! That's precisely the reason why it took me so long to prepare the second issue. When the work was completed and released boy oh boy wasn't it a hit. The second one was very much appreciated and that helped me move onto the next step of introducing small features like hyperlinks. Ever since, the second addition, the appreciation have been pouring in.


Wait i haven't told you the worst part. After this painful work, the pricking work is 'editing' the material people have submitted. I understand usage of few ellipses but using it after every sentence makes you delete the file. The exaggerated, exuberant and glamorous sentences that people prefer to use makes me sleep! Keep it simple yaar. I understand few are excited with their first writing. It's good. Nothing against it. The only reason why it annoys me is that I HAVE TO FIT IT WITHIN A PAGE AND I HAVE TO READ ALL THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN, DELETING THE LINES WITHOUT REMOVING THE ESSENCE OF THE MESSAGE. See, how angry i get?


Nonetheless, for all the moments of anger and frustration in it, it still appears to me to be a wonderful job with lots of creative ideas to build in. Since, i am in-charge i have the freedom to make the way i want it but with a responsibility - the newsletter should serve a purpose, which is, Summarizing the activities in the most comprehensive way that makes the reader go till the very end of the newsletter!

The auto ride!

Yes. The thought if expedition finally materialized after receiving the confirmation mail which was after i dropped the previous post. My waryness and apprehension was quite evident i suppose. Nevertheless, i finally made it. Beefcake.

I left hyderabad on the evening of february 26th. The train was to leave at 1900hrs from Kacheguda station. I expected the travel from my place to the station to last for 30 minutes, of course keeping motorbike, car and the bus population in mind but my calculation, like always, had been wrong. I always try to make the right calculation when it comes to time [of course do keep some clearance which is not included in my calculation which saves me. always.] but fail miserably. The auto ride was quite turbulent. People in hyderabad show of their driving skills in the conjusted areas. Their maneuvering skills, their ability to 'sneak' thro' fellow riders of the evening. As expected, the driver of the auto in which i was seated hit the rear end of another auto with his tyre. The other auto seemed to be riding in peace as 'my' auto was following for sometime before the rational thought arose in the drivers mind to overtake him when there was hardly 'good' space around and vehicles were joining the mainstream of traffic from different 'gallis', adding to my fury. I plugged in my player which gave me charlie parker to listen. The was relating the music with the picture outside. Meanwhile, the auto guy was taking sharp turns and applying instant brakes displacing me from the seat. The saxophone play was running fast and i could imagine myself [imagine?] being one of those comic guys in the black & white screen era [more like charlie chaplin. You know how his acts were supplemented by running music in the background. running music?]. Made it to the station before 5 minutes and learnt that the train will leave after half hour [which was common for it.]. Bangalore was the destination.

The advantages of rain..besides the known ones!

Incessant rain (incessant drizzles shoudl be fine)hitting the city of hyderabad for a count of four days. Weekend plans purged (keeping the spirit of beer alive though), endless sleeps, purposeful drench in the rain are some of the events that took place during the span of the rain-days. The surrounding have been quite dirty, unbearable stench at places, pools of water at places and potholes at places. However, the negatives i might add there have been the positives to the story. Hyderabad has got water now, so there shall not be water problems for atleast a month (considering the timely supply which otherwise was stopped a week ago), the trees are quenched of thirst, the leaves which were brown before the rain are reflecting green thereby adding to the scenic beauty which otherwise is lost in the summer. In addition to all this, there has been a considerable downfall in the leve of dust which occupy the roads frequently travelled. I was travelling this morning in the bus to the office, reading 'India in mind' - a compilation of stories by Pankaj Mishra. Stories, written by writers/ authors from the west who visited india in their time and penned down their experiences during their travel. There was this dug up road which the bus crosses everyday. Apart from the bumps and 'hurts' it used to provide, the dust was gifted to the lungs of the passengers, by the vehicles passing each other. The option left with the passengers would be to shut the window. fine you shut the window but who will shut the door? right. Now that the rain god has graced us, the dust particles have been forced to 'stick' together, form a paste and lie on the road. Inhaling of dust in injurious to health and rain has come to the rescue of the chain-inhalers and make ppl realise the importance of what fresh air could do the body and err....hair!

Chorry for the delay!

Chorry for the delay in posting the images. Thought would get back home and post it but was occupied with work.

This is 'Mrigya' in action:
Mrigya worked on fusion. The classical and the rock fusion was mesmerizing. It was good to hear them. Further, got to know many indian bands.


Skinny Alley:
Skinny alley is a 4 member band from Calcutta.

Airtel Livewire!

I attended the airtel livewire non-stop music festival here in Hyderabad on the 5th of august,2007, which happened to be a sunday. The festival was held at People's plaza, near necklace road.

Watch out this space for an 'extended' personal coverage supported by photographs and mute videos of performances of some of finest rock bands we have in India.

stay connected.

All in a day!

The trip to another center of the company's office wasn't the daily smooth journey that i usually have owing to the ready-travel-service available for its corporate citizen. Well, its the bus of course! you think the company will arrange a cab for me??? How grateful i would be. yeah think that gratefulness has to wait, if ever it has to happen!

Picture this- Crowded bus, an individual with a backpack, finding...correction STRUGGLING to find a place to stand where harmony can prevail for as long as it can. My toilsome journey had come to and end before i had to catch another bus to reach the local train station (I decided to take the train against the choice of taking a cab. I was told the train takes shorter time). Having had the "FUN FILLED" journey in the bus, decided to avert the transport facility for the time being (never travel in the bus in the morning unless circumstance leaves you with no other choice as it has happened today!). Rickshaw was a better option of course a formidable one for a guy like me at the end of the month! Nonetheless, with respect to personal comfort no problem at all but the traffic was PAAATHETIC at begumpet region. The rickshaw guy exhibited his maneuvering skills and man oh man these guys should be competing in Bike racing or something! It took a while before we got out of traffic and he got me to station. It costed me 30 odd bucks. Traffic is a temperament killer!

10:20 ki local train!
Time's running out! what? oh yes i forgot to mention i had to get back to my original working office after my work is done here and i had to get back to the mayfair bus stop where i catch the 'company bus' to head to my office. Lots of buses in life..lol!

Anyway! it was the first time i had traveled my hyderabad local train (of course the need never called me to render the purpose!)Got my ticket of 4 bucks and had to wait for 20 mins looking at people around and sometimes the sky! and finally there it come..the lifeline. The train was nearly empty with maybe 2-3 people in the car as i can remember against what i had expected. The travel was a pleasant one and it took mere 20 mins to reach Hi-tech city. Quite fast man. I got down at my destination but it wasn't over yet.

I had to take a rickshaw to this center of the company. But this time its a packed rickshaw with 2 girls!!! with one guy next to them(what???. wish could have exchanged places..hee hee)and i with the automan...wait there was another man on his other side. The ride as usual ...BUMPY. There was a juncture where he turned sharp and i thought the vehicle is gonna overturn. Lucky! These skills are more than admirable. I didn't know which company the people behind were working for.never even bothered also until i we all got down at the same place!!!

I finished of my work and met my colleague who is often shuttled by his superiors between original office and this office. I was aghast when i looked at the time. I had to travel back and catch my 'company bus' and there was a clear 1hour drive between the two points by local bus and over that imagined the traffic. Well! will i ever reach?

Got the bus after the rickshaw guy told me i'll have to pay INR 80 to take me to station!!! I said F*** OFF under my breath, got out of the rick and strode to the bus stop which in the process of chaos hadn't noticed.

I reached the company bus stop just in time and had a peaceful sleep during the travel.

DESTINATION REACHED. WORK DONE. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

blimey!