“I'll meet you in the bar.” It's an oft-heard phrase at ASNE conventions. That’s where we let down our hair and de-stress.

Well, we don’t have a convention bar this year. But we've got a virtual bar: "Editor Chats"— off-the-record telephone talk among a small group of editors. BYO.

Butch Ward of the Poynter Institute gets the conversation going, but the only rules are: any topic's OK — the editors decide — and what’s said on Editor Chat stays on Editor Chat.

We usually group editors by geographic region, and the calls last about 45 minutes.

Sound strange? Well, I was a little skeptical, but I’ve been on two conversations and they’ve been great — an opportunity to air gripes and fears, share tips and encourage one other. We’ve gotten lots of good feedback from other participants.

The chats give you a fun break, and I just about guarantee that you’ll feel better. After all, who else can you REALLY talk to about your job?

We’re scheduling more chats soon. If you’re the top editor and you want to join in, just let Bobbi Bowman ( bbowman@asne.org) know.

Charlotte H. Hall
2008-09 ASNE President