After 7+ years in the biz, I believe I've observed and learned a few things that I want to pass down to new reporters just starting out. Certainly, I am by no means claiming to be a leading authority on this subject or that this is in any way an all-inclusive list, but I feel comfortable enough in where I've been so far to share these points of advice to rookie journalists or those thinking about giving this life (yes, I said "life") a shot. So, here goes:
1) Two Ears, One Mouth: Listen, listen, listen. I can't emphasize this enough. At first, you will absorb more through observation and inquiry, whether that's from more experienced fellow reporters, editors, and just in the course of being out and about in the world. Ask questions, lots of them. People will respect your sincere desire to learn, and in turn, begin to respect you.
2) Do Your Homework: Much like your education, research is critical. You never want to go into an assignment, interview, etc. totally cold on information. It may come back to haunt or embarrass you, trust me.
3) Word Is Bond: Be a person of your word, without exception. Not only is it the right thing to do in life anyway, it's crucial for cultivation of sources. In many cases, people need to be able to trust you before they will tell you anything. Not living up to this will get you nowhere...the world is much smaller than you think, and people talk.
4) Armor Helps: If you're already of solid personal defense, awesome. This heading is my way of saying to the sensitive souls of the world, develop thicker skin. Without a doubt, you will encounter people who will spare no verbiage whatsoever in an assessment of you or your writing, publicly or privately. Whether it's true or not is irrelevant, they will be sure to let you know. I was once verbally run down by a disgruntled story subject for 10 straight minutes at a public council meeting in front of 500 people. Was it a tough night, especially considering I was only 4 months into my career at that point? Sure. But having that happen ensured that anything else of that nature that came down the pike afterwards would roll off my back. And it did.
5) Trust Yourself: Don't let anyone (persons of interest, story subjects or sources, or even editors, occasionally) misdirect you. *You* are the boots on the ground. Report what you see honestly and write it.
6) Passion: This makes reference to an earlier point up top. Make no mistake: this isn't just a job, it's a lifestyle. At times, it can and may consume you, which you may alternately consider thrilling or terrifying. Truthfully, it can be a bit of both. But, the presence or absence of passion makes a huge difference.
7) Have Fun: Knowing what you witness will be read by many other people is an amazing feeling that not everyone experiences. Love it. :-)
And just like Sir Sean Connery said in The Untouchables, "Here endeth the lesson."
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