Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Read AU? Opine for the Daily!

12. December 2005 • Murph
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Just got the following announcement from the Daily’s incoming opinion page editors, who add, “Arbor Update readers are exactly the sort of people we’re looking for.”

As the incoming editorial page editors for The Michigan Daily, we’re looking for opinion columnists and cartoonists for the winter term. Columnists publish a roughly 800-word piece on political or social issues once every two weeks, and cartoonists typically draw one editorial cartoon a week. Opinion columns and cartoons are open to both undergraduate and graduate UM students and are by no means reserved for current Daily staff members.

For columnists, we are especially interested in people who can write intelligently and passionately about local issues, whether here at the University or on city and state levels. We are also looking for people who will go out and do reporting for some columns by attending events or interviewing. Columns are more informative and more fun to read when the columnist offers something readers can’t just find by Googling.

Here’s what we need from you if you’re interested:

  • A cover letter explaining who you are, why you want a column, and some topics you’d like to discuss.
  • Three sample columns of around 800 words.

If you’re thinking about drawing cartoons, you don’t have to be a great artist. What’s more important in an editorial cartoon is making a point in a clear, interesting and perhaps humorous way.

Our cartoonist application process is more informal – we’d like to meet with you and see two or three samples before the next semester begins.

Send your columnist application to opinion@michigandaily.com by December 31. If you’re interested in drawing cartoons, e-mail us as soon as possible to arrange a time to meet. The Daily’s conflict of interest policy prohibits us from considering the executive board members of most student groups or student government representatives. Please e-mail us if you have any questions about this policy or
anything else.

Sincerely,

Emily Beam and Christopher Zbrozek
Editorial Page Editors-elect, The Michigan Daily



  1. Perhaps I should point out, from my emeritus perch here in NYC, that Arbor Update readers are exactly the kind of people Arbor Update is looking for … to be contributors? Want wrote for AU, email us: arborupdate AT umich DOT edu … Daily columns are once a week. AU posts are whenever you darn well feel like it. :)
       —Scott T.    Dec. 12 '05 - 05:26AM    #
  2. In response to Scott’s message, I suppose this would be as good a time as any to note that I’ll be going emeritus soon, so if you’ve ever thought you could sit quietly by because I was saying what you thought needed to be said, well, step right up!

    (Why am I dropping off the radar? Well, among other reasons, I’m graduating this month, starting a job next month, and hopefully buying a house soon after that. If you know of anything in the $100k-$140k range in A2, we’re interested, but for now we’re mostly looking to Ypsilanti, which means I’ll probably sign on with those cool Spitting Cats kids. Plus, I’m kinda hoping that, by shutting the heck up, I can smoke some of you lurkers into picking up the slack.)
       —Murph.    Dec. 12 '05 - 03:11PM    #
  3. Murph, et al, we should probably put a call out in a top-level post and perhaps beyond some time in the near future. I’m not going to be picking up any posting slack in NYC, either.
       —Scott T.    Dec. 12 '05 - 03:49PM    #
  4. Say, I was wondering—how do you get to post actual news articles to AU? Do you sign up as an official article-poster or something?
       —Young Urban Amateur    Dec. 12 '05 - 04:44PM    #
  5. YUA –
    It’s kind of like rushing for geeks. You have to ask and we have to say yes. Less restrictive than a personal page, more restrictive than IndyMedia.

    I’d say it helps if at least we know who you are; I’m perfectly willing to maintain outward confidentiality, though. Drop me an e-mail.

    (Irony: I could provide you with references saying I’m willing to maintain confidentiality – but then you wouldn’t believe me.)
       —Murph    Dec. 12 '05 - 09:49PM    #
  6. Check out this blog:
    www.adrianinsider.blogspot.com

    Please add to your LOCAL BLOGS section
       —Adrian Insider    Dec. 12 '05 - 11:25PM    #
  7. Happy to help put Lenawee County on the map…
       —Murph.    Dec. 13 '05 - 02:26AM    #
  8. FYI Detroit News is looking for bloggers too. In case writing for AU and the Daily isn’t enough..

    application here
       —Laura    Dec. 13 '05 - 10:12PM    #