That line’s been stuck in my head ever since an editor said it last summer – and it’s 100 percent wrong.

The editor and I were talking about a story I’d done, a case study involving some relatively new and complicated technology. I’d finished writing and, at her request, sent the draft to one of my sources – I know, bad editorial practice but totally not my call – to check that the convoluted tech stuff was factually accurate.

Only when I emailed the story to the source, I’d forgotten to remove some notes at the top that I’d written to the editor, notes that included some less than flattering comments about the source – nothing defamatory, nothing horrible, but embarrassing nonetheless.

That’s what prompted the editor’s comment to relax and forget about it because I’d never be talking to that person again.

It’s advice I promptly ignored.

Maybe that’s the way she does business. But it’s not how I operate.

To make a proper go of it as a freelancer, you’ve got to be a beat reporter, keeping up on the latest news and events in fields you cover. That means keeping in touch with a ever widening circle of contacts, because you never know when you’ll need to talk to someone or ask for a referral to someone they might know.

Over the years, I’ve prided myself in my source list. A friend and former co-worker still talks about the extensive list of contacts I left when she took over my newspaper beat while I went on maternity leave.

These days I use LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Desktop to keep tabs on sources and manage contact information online and within my computer files.

Sources are my pot of gold, my secret weapon. They’re the reason I can take 500-word assignments that only pays 50 cents a word, because I can tap into my source list to turn a story around in less than a day, making it financially feasible when calculating the work on an hourly basis.

I may treasure my sources, but I’m no pushover.  The only times I’d let a source see quotes before they’re published, go off the record or talk anonymously is if the editor asked or the circumstances warranted it. And asking tough questions is par for the course.

After I realized what I’d done and called the editor, I picked up the phone again and called my source. Even from across the the country, I’m sure they could tell my face was red. Luckily for me, they were pretty good about the whole thing and there were no lasting repercussions.

Moral of the story: Never, ever, include notes on a story that you wouldn’t want the world to see. And whatever you do, be good to your sources.

What’s that, the source won’t answer your email or phone calls? Don’t they realize what you’ve had to do to get this far?

Unfortunately, just because you need to talk to a source doesn’t mean that they need to talk to you. They’re busy, they’re press shy, they’re grouchy, they’ve been warned by counsel or their media relations staff not to speak to the press.

That’s when you need to use your writer’s ingenuity to figure out how to get a reluctant source to talk anyway – or how to salvage a story if they won’t.

(If you’re a source of mine, feel free to stop reading at this point.)

If and when you run into an uncooperative source, do a quick gut check or touch base with your editor. Do you really need that specific source? Or would another person, company or expert with the same credentials, background or situation suffice?

If you need a particular source who’s yet to open up, here are my top 10 secrets to getting somebody to talk:

1. Send questions via email. If a source won’t make time to talk on the phone maybe they’ll respond to written answers. It’s not the best way to go but at least you’ll have something. These days, try Twitter too – somebody who won’t sit for an interview might be OK answer questions 140 characters at a time.

2. Find out if someone else is available. Worst case scenario: talk to an organization’s spokesperson.

3. Do an end run around gatekeepers. Sometimes the source you’re trying to reach doesn’t know about your request because their secretary, PR department, spouse or some other handler hasn’t told them. In those situations, search online, in phone books or elsewhere for a direct number or email address you can use to directly plead your case.

4. Call at odd hours. If you need to talk to an executive or business owner, call before or after hours when chances are good secretaries and receptionists aren’t there and the head honcho will pick up the phone themselves.

5. Investigate association or board affiliations. Websites for professional organizations often list names, bios and contact information for their board members.

6. Go where they’ll be. They may avoid your calls, but they can’t avoid you if you show up at their monthly Rotary Club lunch or annual industry trade show. You might only get a line or two or a “No comment” but it’s better than nothing.

7. Talk to friends or business partners. If your story has to do with something a person or company did, bought or sold, find one of their friends, colleagues or business partners and get the details from them. Then contact your source again and ask them to confirm the facts.

8. Check what’s already been written. Look online for previous articles, white papers, analyst write ups or case studies about the source, their organization or company. That way even if you end up not getting an interview, you’ll have some background – just make sure you include an attribution to the original source.

9. Search social networks. Look on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook to find out if your source hangs out there. If they do, ask them then and there to answer your questions. Or let your network know that you’re trolling for Ms. ABC or XYZ Company to talk to. Or put out a general call for help.

10. Be empathetic. Sometimes, especially if you’re dealing with someone who’s never been interviewed before, all they might need is a little coaxing and an explanation of how things work – what information you’re after, what on the record means, etc. – to feel comfortable enough to talk.

What techniques do you use to get reluctant sources to talk?