Never put all your stories in one basket...

I'VE been in journalism now for 12 years and in that time I've seen an awful lot of changes.

Although the essentials of our trade are a pen and a shorthand notepad, we have become increasingly reliant on technology.

In my first job, scalpels were as popular in the editorial department as they are in an operating theatre.

That's because when stories had been subbed and pictures sized, they would be printed off on special paper called bromide.

It then became an exercise in jigsaw completion. The stories and photos would be cut out with the help of a very sharp scalpel, then arranged on a piece of card that represented a single page, with columns marked on to aid design.

These would then be driven by van to the printing press.

At my next job, things took a slight step forward.

Our stories from the Nuneaton Evening Telegraph could be sent via computer to the head office in Coventry - but the catch was only one person could transmit at a time.

That meant when you had completed a story, you had to shout "anyone sending?" at the top of your voice, then go for it if they weren't.

The problem was, some people used to forget this vital step of the process. Naming no names, but Derek Brown was the main culprit.

If you tried to send when someone else was, it would mess up both procedures and you'd have to start all over again, furiously typing transmission codes into your computer.

Eventually, we were given new computers with, to our amazement, personal e-mail addresses and internet access.

Since then, news gathering has become far more of a reactive process, with most stories or tip-offs coming in by e-mail, closely followed by phone calls. Faxes and snail mail trail in behind.

It's great from a speed point of view, and can make life a whole lot easier - not to mention kinder on the planet.

But if you have a tendency to be a big clumsy oaf, like I am on the odd occasion, it can spell disaster.

At any given time I have at least 30 stories on the go via my e-mail.

So when you wipe out every folder in your system with one errant click of the mouse, well, the shock can leave even me speechless.

When it happens on deadline day, stay well away.

We've never put out a blank newspaper yet, though, so rest assured your Tribune will be there in all its glory next week.