This week we sat down with Rebecca Humphrey, Editor in Chief of Amherst Wire, an online magazine about current events around the Pioneer Valley and on Campus.
Jackson: When did you realize you loved to write?
Humphrey: “I realized I love to write when I was a lot younger. I used to be obsessed with collecting notebooks and I would write random weird stories, a lot of which made no sense. I kept some of the notebooks and they are pretty hilarious to look back on. The earliest one I can remember was called ‘The Town of Tomato Soup’ …you can probably guess what that’s about.”
Jackson: “What experience have you had with writing before starting Amherst Wire?
Humphrey: “I have been a Journalism major throughout all four years of college. I wrote for the Quinnipiac Chronicle while I was at QU my freshman and sophomore years and then when I transferred I submitted a few things to the Daily Collegian. I also have dabbled with creative writing for as long as I can remember.”
Jackson: What made you decide to start a paper here at UMass?
Humphrey: “I didn’t decide to start it. One of my journalism professors, BJ Roche, teamed up with Steve Fox and decided to start an independent study to revamp the old AW website. Steve had started the site a few years ago for one of his classes but I don’t think they had enough people to keep up with the site. So BJ asked me and a few others last Spring if we would be interested in getting AW back on track.”
Jackson: How did you get people involved in your cause?
Humphrey: We mostly just pitched to classes and talked to friends within the journalism department. We also have been trying to get the word out through social media.
Jackson: To you, what makes a good article or piece of writing?
Humphrey: A good piece leaves you feeling like you have a fresh perspective on something. Ideally it should make the reader see a subject from a new angle in an exciting creative way. It should obviously be well written but in addition to that I think it needs to stand out from the pack by being relatable yet informative and thought provoking.
Jackson: How do you incorporate these values into the newspaper?
Humphrey: “This entire process has been a learning curve for everyone on the Amherst Wire team. So far it has been a rollercoaster trying to incorporate everything we want because our main focus has been on setting up the foundation. A lot of time has been spent trying to organize everything and figure out the process of running a magazine so we have had our flaws but overall I am so happy with the entire team and how it has all turned out. Next semester we will be able to dedicate more time to producing content that spreads across a wider amount of issues.”
Jackson: Where do you hope your journalism experience will bring you?
Humphrey: “I hope it makes me happy. I know that journalism probably will never make me a lot of money but that doesn’t bother me. Having a job where I can meet all kinds of people and see the world from different perspective is rewarding enough in itself.”
Jackson: Any advice to people interested in majoring in journalism?
Humphrey: “When I was a freshman I was always intimidated by student media. People interested in majoring in journalism should get involved as soon as they can. Hands down, it is the best thing they can do. Writing for student media like Amherst Wire or the Daily Collegian is a great way to get real experience. It’s also very rewarding to have a piece published and see that byline with your name.”
Jackson: How can people get involved with Amherst Wire?
Humphrey: “To get involved it’s simple. Contact anyone on the Amherst Wire crew. Email amherstwiremag@gmail.com and then we can refer you to any section you would like to write for. We suggest ideas for submissions but we are open to all sorts of pieces. We would love people who are interested in writing for us on a regular basis but if you join the team you can choose how much you want to volunteer. We are trying to increase the size of our team and we really need writers and photographers so don’t be shy!”
Jackson: Where can you access Amherst Wire?
Humphrey: The website http://www.amherstwire.com
Jackson: What are your future hopes for Amherst Wire?
Humphrey: “I hope that Amherst Wire becomes a student media outlet that all majors browse regularly and really enjoy. I also want it to be a space that reflects how great the journalism department is here while rewarding the hard work that students put in. I have big hopes for Amherst Wire. We are only going up from here, I can feel it, and I am so thankful and excited to be a part of it all.”
Don’t forget to check out Amherst Wire on Facebook and Twitter as well!