Is it OK to bypass a source’s PR firm?
When it comes to sources, start out by playing by the rules, and if that doesn’t get you what you need, break them.
Dear WordCount: A source doesn’t like my story, what should I do?
This installment of the weekly freelance writing advice column deals with disgruntled sources: is it better to tell your editor, or handle it yourself?
Once a source, always a source
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.
New ways to use LinkedIn to find story sources
Twitter may get all the press right now, but if you write about business or need experts in any number of areas – medicine, careers, government – you can’t beat LinkedIn, the business online network with more than 40 million members, for finding story sources. Here are some of my favorite ways to use LinkedIn [...]
Stalking the reluctant source – 10 secrets to getting anybody to talk
You had the idea, wrote the query, got the assignment, negotiated the contract, worked out a deadline and did the research. Now all that’s left is interviewing the source. 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 [...]
10 great places writers can find story ideas
When people find out I work as a freelance writer they inevitable ask, where do you get your story ideas? It’s a simple question, but not a simple answer. The fact is, I get ideas for stories everywhere, too many places to explain in a quick soundbite for a new acquaintance. During any given week, [...]
How to keep track of story sources
If you’ve been in the freelance business long, you’ve accumulated a pretty hefty source list. How do you keep track of all those names? When I was a newspaper reporter, I used the simplest method possible. I created one text file for each subject I covered and made a running list. When I was feeling [...]
How Writers Can Use LinkedIn, Part I
I joined LinkedIn, the business social networking site, in September when I started working again. I’ve been a regular ever since. I posted some thoughts about how writers can use LinkedIn on Freelance Success, a freelance writers Web site, and people found them so helpful, I’m sharing them here. Here’s how writers can use LinkedIn: [...]
