There may be no crying in baseball, but there certainly is some in newsrooms

Why is it that newspaper editors and publishers are always depicted as angry tyrants?

Seriously, though.

I've worked in several newsrooms and I find myself laughing at the depictions I've seen on the big screen. I'm not going to say that I have never been called on the carpet, but I feel like there is a disproportionate amount of yelling that's highlighted from both those in charge and those that are doing the reporting in Hollywood's versions.

Take J. Jonah Jameson, depicted in one version by actor J.K. Simmons, who is the publisher of the Daily Bugle in Spider-Man, for example. Even though my relationship was different with each of the publishers I've had, no one was like this guy. No. One.

I didn't communicate often with my first news publisher, but when I did, he was very supportive. He'd pop in, gossip about a few things he'd heard in town, and tell us we were doing a good job, citing specific articles he'd enjoyed.

Manuel, one of my publishers in Arizona, was probably the most vocal publisher I've ever worked for. I have many memories of him shouting "EMILIA!" across the newsroom to get my attention. Sometimes it was for something funny and occasionally it was because of my sass. Still, even if we weren't always on the same page as we had very different roles to play, he was someone I felt comfortable going to. He seemed to understand my capabilities and have confidence in my abilities. He's someone I still stay in touch with.

Jennifer was the first female publisher I'd ever had. She was very, very supportive and energetic. We didn't work together very long, but there was a lot of collaboration. I felt heard and like what I brought to the table mattered. I ended up leaving that news editor role for a reporter job on the East Coast making more money. Even when I gave my notice, there was never that kind of cold shoulder or shouting I've seen in movies.

No matter what state or community I was in, there hasn't been a publisher like J. Jonah Jameson. Magazine editors aren't even remotely close to that depiction either.

Have I seen an editor slam down a phone with vigor, repeatedly? Absolutely.

Was it at me or because of me, the reporter? No.

Has there been shouting and impassioned speeches launched? Yes, yes that too.

Typically though, those moments all took place following a particularly emotional interview. There's a lot of bonding that happens in a newsroom following interviews. Being able to recap these moments are a rite of passage in the field.

As for my status as an editor, I've had a lot of different characters work with me. I can honestly say that I've never yelled at any reporter. I've had to have some intense conversations, but I've never yelled. I had to talk to a reporter about plagiarism, several about not hitting deadlines, another about drinking on the job and yet another about their attitude. The individual I discussed attitude with actually screamed at me worse than anyone in the industry ever has.

There was this one time that I threw an AP Style Guide at the wall after talking to one of my publishers in the middle of trying to put an edition to bed ... but other than that, I can't really say that anger is typically in the air ... unless of course, it's to vent as it pertains to a story or a source.

It's probably not a sexy image, but there's a lot of crying that happens in a newsroom. It might just be me, but it's a profession of passion. When someone doesn't come through with something they promised to turn in, in most cases, you don't just scream at someone or fire them. There's not always time for that. Oh look, it's 5 o'clock and I go to press at 9 p.m. (the deadline you lie and tell your staff) and I have almost 15 inches to fill without the meeting story from the other reporter due by 7 p.m. And the other reporter's 7 p.m. story won't actually be in until 8:30 or maybe 9 p.m. So where does that other 15 inches come from? You, the editor, who has already been at the office for more than 10 hours, hasn't eaten or peed, and has certainly not brushed their hair today. Yeah, there's a lot of crying.

And if you think at the end of the week that paycheck will make up for the toxic phone calls from subscribers who don't like the opinions you ran on editorial or the more than 40 hours you spend chained to a desk, editing, writing, interviewing, laying out a page for print or posting a story online, you'd be wrong. It's not a glamourous profession. It's hard. It's stressful. There are never enough people to cover every single story. Most of us have to work more than one job to pay the bills. And for some reason, everyone thinks that they could have done it better.

My favorite quote of all time: "Oh, I dabble in writing." No matter what, someone somewhere has seen words on a page and thinks that they could do it better. Not like a profession like plumbing. People don't say, "Ya know, I've seen a toilet before. I could probably take care of that for ya."

So what is it that makes people continue in this field? They care. It may be hard to believe, but to dedicate that much time, energy and emotion to journalism, you've got to care. And I care. What does make it worth it? Receiving a handwritten thank-you note for the piece that you researched that helped someone get health insurance that was kicked off because of bureaucratic red tape or for when you shined a light on some wrongdoings in a city, or for when you photographed a 5-year-old telling you what love means. Words make words worth it.

And at the end of the day, even if it's a fictional setting, I hope the image of the newsroom setting is altered.