The Cole Digest, October 25, 1995

Last week we had Bill Woodruff of the Phoenix Newspapers Inc. (Gazette and Arizona Republic) looking at a telecommuter in his own office -- a copy editor. This time, Woodruff takes us to a freelance writer and a freelance graphic artist.

In Sayreville, N.J., Lea Bayers Rapp is a dedicated telecommuter. The author of 20 books, Rapp has written stories and columns for the Star-Ledger in Newark, the New York Times, USA Today and New Jersey Monthly.

She began working out of her home 12 years ago with an Apple IIe, "which I almost threw out the window in frustration over changing from a typewriter. But when I realized what replacing that bay window would cost, I decided to stick with it."

She's now using a '486 Intel-based PC with two hard drives, tape backup, modem and CD-ROM. She also has a fax machine and a copier, and her workspace has spread out from a corner of the family room to take over the entire room -- "much to my family's dismay."

One of her more memorable telecommuting experiences came several years ago when she was working as a senior editor at a magazine based in New York City.

"I was facing deadline on a complicated piece and my boss allowed me to telecommute for a day. The result was that I was able to turn in three days' worth of work in one day. And the quality was better, too, without the normal office interruptions.

"Additionally, I was able to spend the four hours I normally would have spent commuting working instead."

For Rapp, telecommuting means "I'm able to be far more productive than I ever was before because I cut out all the travel time. It gives me a competitive edge."

Are there other advantages? "I also save a lot on dry-cleaning bills."

Bill Pitzer, the former news/graphics editor of the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va., took advantage of telecommuting to set up what he calls a "virtual design studio" in Bridgeport, W. Va.

After 12 years in the newspaper business, he established Pitzographics in 1992 and now provides features to National Geographic, the Associated Press, Computer World and others.

Pitzer works out of a studio he designed into his home. What started him on the road to his current career was a part-time job creating infographics for the short-lived sports daily, The National, while he was still with the Virginian-Pilot.

Among his tasks is creating a weekly illustrated feature for the National Geographic Society called GeoFacts, distributed by the New York Times Syndicate in English and Spanish.

"Using a phone, fax and my Mac, I design and draw the feature," Pitzer said. "The main text block is provided by the NGS News Service and sent as a text file from their IBMs via CompuServe. The translator who does the Spanish version works in New York City and sends me the text the same way."

The only major problems he has encountered have been snowstorms that knocked out electricity. Fortunately, he wasn't close to deadline when the storms hit.

"I've even managed to do some breaking-news graphics," he said. "I had a contract with the Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette and did a Page One graphic on a chemical leak on deadline from my studio.

"I spoke with reporters and editors on the phone, used my fax to obtain some research material, did the graphic and sent it right to the newsroom via AppleTalk Remote Access."

Thanks Bill.

Onward.

\dmc

[THE COLE DIGEST is written by consultant David M. Cole, editor and publisher of the industry newsletter THE COLE PAPERS. The DIGEST is made available to PressLink subscribers every Wednesday at no extra charge. Send comments by e-mail to cole@plink.geis.com. The COLE DIGEST is the property of The Cole Group, a California sole proprietorship. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of The Cole Group is prohibited. Copyright (C) 1995, The Cole Group. Opinions expressed are those of The Cole Group, unless otherwise noted.

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