My last Single Shot column appeared in the Seattle P-I today. Appropriately enough, it’s about what to do when you’re dumped. Even more apt, it’s appearing on Friday the 13th. Talk about timing.
Obviously, I’m very sad about Hearst choosing to shut down such a great newspaper and not just because it means I’ll be out of a column. I’ve worked at newspapers off and on since I was about 19, basically bootstrapping my way up the ladder from “composing room” paste-up artist and typesetter (yes, I have a pica pole and know how to use one) to freelance columnist at one of Washington’s largest dailies. I’ve worked with hundreds of dedicated, die-hard news people — journalists, photographers, copy editors, sales staff, printers, pressmen, those weird guys back in litho — at big dailies, rinky-dink weeklies and everything in between.
It’s very difficult to see the newspaper industry on such shaky ground, to wonder if the written word holds value any more.
Obviously, I’m not the only one involved in this kind of soul-searching these days. There are many industries in trouble out there, although from what I can tell, bars and online dating services seem to be doing okay. Who knows, maybe I can rework Single Shot into a column about booze and dating.
Before signing off (I’ve got deadlines, as always), I would love to give a shout-out to the talented crew at the Seattle P-I who made Single Shot happen: my editors, John Levesque and Chris Beringer; the many talented news artists who created such brilliant artwork to illustrate my pieces; the copy editing team who caught all my embarrassing mistakes before they hit print; the online media folks for helping me get those all-important clicks. I’d also like to thank the P-I’s readers for taking time out of their day to listen to my voice and put up with what must seem like a never-ending stream of corny jokes. Now you know how my poor family feels.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank that fabulous P-I globe for lighting up my life — and my city — for all these years.
A dating manual for the modern, mangled single.
Diane Mapes ... Single Shot Seattle 
Thanks for the shout-out, Diane. And we will miss editing your flawless, brilliant prose. At least now I know where to turn when I need a little giggle!
Yes, I heard about this last week — apparently the Denver paper has also closed, and the SF Chronicle is laying off a ton of people to try to stay afloat. It’s a sad and strange situation. The MLA’s newest edition of its style guide officially does not recognize print as the primary or assumed medium anymore. Crazy! Good luck with everything — as you know, Onely’s excited to read you on the web!
— Lisa