Best journalism advice/tips you ever received

I'm sure this thread has been done before, but there's a two-part twist to this one.

1. What's the best journalism advice or pointer someone ever gave you? Feel free to explain why it was so valuable compared to the rest.

2. What good advice is still applicable to a current journalism student? ("Don't go into journalism," while certainly advice that has merit, does not count)

This is for a group of college students in a journalism class, but it could apply to anyone at that stage in life pursuing any kind of career in a research/communication-centric field.

 

"Your job is to REPORT, not to 'write.' "

 

Best advice I got is still probably the best advice I could give in today's journalism: Knock on the door.

Don't just wait for a story to come to you, go get the story even if it means knocking on the door of an accused criminal. Go get the story.

 

Nouns and verbs.

 

A couple:
One, like, "Knock on the door," was "Go outside." Even as a small daily SE, I tried to get to somebody's practice or game, no matter the sport, every day.
Secondly, one that always stayed with me, was Chuck Stone telling us college kids saying about his career, "I was an OK writer. But I was a HELLUVA reporter." Different era, no doubt, but I still hear that one in my head even though I'm several years out of the business.

 

Timeless advice? Spell out, aloud, every name for the people involved. Every one. John Smith? J-O-H-N S-M-I-T-H? This was always a basic thing that, several times, stood me in good stead because I made it a habit after having it suggested while I was still in college that it would be good to do. It seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how often it is not done.

Best example? There was a four-year All-American softball pitcher's name -- very phonetic, and really, not hard, that was misspelled, by everyone, including the SID's office, for more than three years of her collegiate career, because no one did this, and she was too nice, shy and polite to correct anybody, until one day, I covered the team, asked her, and did it). She, and my editor, both thanked me profusely -- he after rolling his eyes in embarrassment and exasperation.

This is not advice I received, but, based on experience, I would add this, especially nowadays: Be careful what you post/blog.

 

Overwriting is a plague. Write like you talk. If you don't, people will think you're a fraud, and you might be.

Write to a story's worth. Don't write long just to write long. If it's worth it, write to your heart's desire. Splurging on stories that aren't worth it is tiresome to the reader.

 

read your stuff aloud. write it, print a copy, take it outside or somewhere you can have a moment's peace, and read it aloud. much more likely to catch errors, repetition, lapses in logic and construct. and yeah, don't fuck up people's names.

 

For the editors out there: When news or sports reporters come back from covering something, ask them what happened.

They will almost always tell you the most interesting thing. That should be the lede/angle of their story.

Tip No. 2, and it's still valid even in skeleton-crew newsrooms: The paper will still come out without you. Use your comp time/vacation days. You've earned them.

 

Everyone, even the best journalists in the business, needs to be edited.

 

Don't ever debate whether to make another call. If you're even asking the question, make the call.