Extra Pens?

via bp.blogspot.com

Last week, Louisa told me she ran out of ink during a meeting.

At first, I just instinctively laughed until she said she uses ink pens.

I had to look it up myself, so don’t worry. She said it’s more cost effective and I believe her.

She said she forgot her mechanical pencils for the meeting, as well. She described how, instead of writing everything that was said down, she picked precisely which quotes she wanted to use.

Louisa tends to get nervous and she said she was getting pretty worried towards the end of the meeting. Everything turned out okay and her stories didn’t suffer, but she learned a lesson. When you change your bags, be sure to change your pens with it.

I’ve done that to myself before. I usually bring three pens with me whenever I’m at a meeting, event or interview for a feature. It’s almost like a bad habit. I have one pen in my mouth, one clipped to my shirt, with one in my pocket. I do this before I lock my car door to go wherever it is that I’m going.

I’ve made it a habit. I do it without thinking now.

I may look ridiculous, but it works for me. I’ve had pens run out on me, while at a meeting, but I have my backups with me to keep me rolling.

Having a pen run out of ink is one of my worst fears. I’d have to assume that it’s also a big fear for many other journalists. Without a pen or pencil, (I don’t use a voice recorder) I’m useless. I can, of course, use my senses and observations, but what good am I without a pen?

Just make sure you have the right pen.

Jonathan

Feature Story Update

Features have been my nemesis since I was in college. I don’t know what changed, but lately I’ve been starting to like writing them.

I should rephrase that. I never disliked writing features. I was just intimidated by them. Read my previous posts about features to get my real feelings on features.

Lately, I feel like my features have really gone up a notch or two. I’m having fun coming up with the ideas and I’m having fun writing them. Each one is a different challenge and, weirdly, I look forward to them now. It’s a pretty big 180-turn for me, since not even a year ago, I was loathing my experience with them.

I’m becoming a reliable feature writer for the paper and that’s a pretty good feeling.

Some of my favorite features in the last month or so include:

• Chief, locals near blasts
• Leaving more than memories Widow helps educate public on importance of organ donations as way of giving gift of life
• A bright, sunshiny day Warm weather welcome after a long, cold winter
• Healing continues for Coventry hero Red Cross to honor Welintukonis Thursday
• Ghost test results revealed

I’ve had more, but I wanted to put some that I haven’t written about into the list. Some of them are better than others.

Not every feature I write is a Pulitzer, but they all have the same hard work in them.

I’m also trying to pitch more of them. That’s easier said than done, but I’m getting more and more creative with each feature. That’s not really my nature, but I want to have “colorful” clips along with my hard news background.

Why would someone hire me if I can only write the newsy news stories?

Employers are looking for a writer who can write every type of story there is; hard news and feature stories. Reporters nowadays need to be flexible and creative when it comes to their writing. That should go without saying.

Jonathan

Using A “Real” Camera

I took pictures at the Rusesabagina event and I was able to use our photo department’s “extra” camera.

It’s one of those nice ones (I couldn’t tell you the brand or model).

I didn’t have a photographer with me because that night was pretty busy. And by busy I mean we had two town meetings, two referendums, a charter school lottery, a mill meeting and my Rwanda event.

My story wasn’t high on the totem pole, which is the way it should have been. I knew almost a week before my event that I would be taking my own pictures.

With me taking my own pictures, we were able to use the event as a feature two papers later. That was nice because the rest of the week was a bit slow. We planned it all perfectly and it worked out well.

As for me using the camera, I was freaking out at the event for the entire time.

I don’t know why I work myself up so much. I really don’t.

I definitely felt more confident using a “professional” camera, but I wasn’t sure how they were going to come out. My “target” didn’t end up standing in the light the auditorium provided him and couldn’t stand still. I tried to take photos while he was talking, but they came out blurry and hazy.

That was certainly frustrating, but I decided, after many failed attempts, to wait until he signed copies of his book after his presentation.

I ended up getting quite a few decent shots, with some photo-bombed shots of unsuspecting people. I took pictures of him for almost 25 minutes while he signed his books. I really felt like I was being a bother, but he never told me to stop.

I really have to get a better grasp on how to get the right shot because I only ended up with around two usable photos for the paper.

Roxanne, our lead photographer, got quite a few laughs out of my attempts. She gave me some more pointers and told me that I  am getting better.

I’ll just have to take her word for it.

Until next time.

Jonathan

Let Feedback Fuel Your Work

Compliments are few and far between.

You can’t let them get to your head. I’ve used them to fuel my work and keep up at a pace that I’m comfortable with.

It’s nice to get compliments. That I cannot deny.

I almost wish there were more of them, but then I’d have to question myself. If there were too many, that could be a problem. I don’t think I have to go into detail with that tangent.

I’ve found that I work at a certain pace. I keep myself busy all the time and that’s how I work. I know a lot of people don’t like to work like that, though.

I’m calling all of my towns on a consistent basis. I’m not necessarily looking for stories, but, rather, I’m looking to see how everyone is doing.

People notice that. The more you work at it the more the compliments will come.

Compliments come in many forms, too. Some of them can actually be a bit more than what you thought they were going to be.

I had one compliment go all the way to my publisher, which I hadn’t expected. I won’t name names, but it was a prominent town official in one of my bigger towns. I thought he was joking, but he wasn’t.

He went as far as to leave a message on my publisher’s phone and sent an e-mail to my head editor.

To say the least, I was shocked and almost embarrassed  I’m not giving anyone preferential treatment and I don’t want it come off as if I am. I wasn’t cornered, but I felt a bit awkward the next time I spoke to him.

I thanked him and he brushed it off like it wasn’t a big deal. I expected that and we haven’t discussed it since. I’ve kept the same “distance” and I’ve done my job the same way I have since I started, with hard work and dedication.

Let compliments fuel you. Give yourself some time to gloat, if you want, but get back to work.

There are more stories to break.

Jonathan

Story of the Week 5/19

via hollywoodjesus.com

Rwanda genocide pushes savior to speak for victims

Many of us have seen the movie with Don Cheadle, but to meet the man, Paul Rusesabagina, in person is something I will never forget.

A soft-spoken man, Rusesabagina knew how to play the room.

I highly recommend you read this one.

Even if you don’t know the story, I still hope you take the time to read it.

This one was really easy to write. I was already familiar with the movie and the story.

I was lucky to have been able to see and meet him.

Jonathan

What You Should Be Reading: EVERYTHING

via telegraph.co.uk

I think this is arguably one of the worst weeks for the White House under Barack Obama.

I won’t insert my two cents on this week because I still don’t know everything that’s gone on. It seems that everyday there is something new going on or developing.

There have been awkward pressers all over the place this week and the mainstream media has decisively owned the nation’s administration on everything from the IRS to “Benghazi-gate.”

If you want to cringe, watch both of those pressers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone get grilled like Carney was for over an hour.

I also cannot forget the AP scandal.

For that, which I won’t specifically comment on, go here, here, here, here and here.

This WaPo “trifecta” story is a great read, too.

We’ll have to see how things go over the weekend because new developments seem to be coming out every day on all three of these scandals.

This administration was already under heavy scrutiny, so these revelations are just more fuel for the fire.

This time, however, it’s not just the GOP on the hunt, it’s everyone. People want answers and we have very few at this point.

Jonathan