Thanks.

Everyone gets a lot of complaints; do you get (m)any thank-yous for the stories you write?

Local paper did a story on my oldest friend. Nicely done, and I e-mailed the reporter and sent a thank-you note. In this digital age, it wouldn't have occured to me not to send it, but it could be because I'm not far removed from the business.

Sadly, I didn't think to cc: her editor or higher-up. Seeing as how it's Gannett, I might offer to re-send it.

Anyway, do you get much positive feedback on stories, whether it's from the subjects, family, friends or random readers?

 

I've been freelancing for two years for a local magazine, usually writing two articles every month. I've gotten two thank-you notes, one from an artist and one from a women's basketball coach.

At the end of last basketball season, I was doing PA for an all-star game. I had my camera with me and shot photos of every kid and his/her parents. I burned all the pictures to CDs and mailed them to all the kids, about 40 in all, with a letter saying congratulations for making the team, along with a business card so they would know who sent them this stuff. Not a single one called or e-mailed with a thank you. I probably won't do that this year.

 

In their defense, they probably thought that was just part of the deal when you make the all-star team. I doubt any of them realized that it was just one guy going out of his way to do something nice.

 

I had a short stint in news, like three months, and I got, without exaggeration, 8-10 times as many thank-yous and compliments as I've had in my entire career in sports, which is about three years full-time, three years part-time.

 

I've been at my place about a year and have probably 3 thank yous. The first was this old guy who showed up to the office on a random morning and wanted to talk to a sports reporter. He competed in some senior games and wanted to talk about his medals. I was the only guy around, so I talked to him and wrote a few inches for our briefs section. He sent me a hand-written thank you note. That meant a lot because it took me only a few minutes for the brief.

The others were a basketball coach who complimented me on a feature I did, and a local booster who calls me after almost every article I do telling me good job. The booster is just happy his school gets some ink. The one game I didn't cover because we had a bunch of high school postseason stuff going on I got a call from him asking why there was no story.

 

I did one story on a Paralympic athlete from the area with a rare nerve condition in her arm. Got thank yous from her family...and lots of random readers thanking me for bringing attention to the condition. A few told me they were going to keep the piece and give it to their young children, just born with the condition, to show them that anything is possible. That was about as good as I've ever felt after writing a story.

 

Just remembered this one: When I was writing about food, I wrote a column and mentioned my wife's grandmother, an old Czech lady who was an excellent cook. It may have been the first time her name was ever in a newspaper. Wife told me that she carried that column around for weeks showing it to everyone. The room kind of gets dusty every time I think of that.

 

I got one from a soccer mom. The team was pretty good so we covered every home game which I guess she appreciated. Oh, and the front page photo of her son just may have had something to do with it ...

 

I go through a similar scenario just about every year. Often times the old folks just wander in looking for some conversation and they're thankful we take the time to listen.

 

Got a thank-you note for my reporting/writing in general from an elderly lady. Like a moron, I tucked it in a drawer and waited way too long, like a year and a half, to drop her a friendly note in return.

Never heard back from her again, and I have a bad feeling that maybe she didn't stick around long enough for my reply, if you know what I mean. :-[

 

I actually get thanked quite a bit, especially over the last few weeks. I got a call from a coach last night, saying how our department does such a good job, and I got a call from a parent today -- on my cell -- thanking me for the reporting and work I've done.

It's a really nice perk that I don't expect. But when it happens, it's like a jolt.

 

I agree. I'm not very good about this, but I try to remember to thank people and compliment them for good work, just because I know how much of a boost it can sometimes be, especially for people in this business, who don't have a lot of five-star days.