I couldn't think of a headline today

A helluva load goes down on our newsdesk.
I write for two papers.
My editors work on four.
And our stories go through about six pairs of eyes before they hit the printers each week.
Rigorous evidently.
And the schedule is relentless.

Even with the fresh air breaks you get out on jobs.

Days of shorthand scrawl, bleed into evenings of writing, into meetings with your colleagues, more interviews over the phone and even more waiting to hear back from others for that all important quote that will make your story publishable.
The latter seem to have an irritating habit of phoning back just when you’ve got a sandwich spread across your keyboard, which sends crumbs flying in the face of your computer screen as you scrabble for a pencil to note their spicy quote.

Some days I feel I've written to the point I've exceeded my word quota for the day and can't sustain a verbal conversation.

Fellow reporters might recognise this affliction.

I'm sure our team does.

To end, I’ve said it before, and here I go again – it’s not a job you could do unless you love it.
It’s not for the money.
But because there’s no other buzz like the kind you get when your editor nods a little “well done”, in your direction.