1. What does a Staff Writer do?
A staff writer is assigned to a particular beat. In my case, I am a member of the Region Team and I am assigned to Robeson County. I am responsible for covering any and everything that occurs in that county that is newsworthy. I cover education, crime, local government and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. I also write profiles on people in the community and stories on issues that concern residents.
2. Is there a certain amount of articles that you have to write a month?
No, there isn't a set number of articles. It depends on what is going on. I could have a day where there is a lot of breaking news or crime news and I may writing three or four small stories along with a longer piece that day.
3. What training and education do you need to be a Staff Writer?
An individual interested in becoming a staff writer should major in English or journalism and obtain a bachelor's degree. In my case, I majored in English. My college did not have a journalism program, but offered several journalism classes. I also wrote for my college paper and was a summer intern at the local daily newspaper.
4. How do you manage your time and meet deadlines?
It's important to try to use your time wisely in order to meet deadlines. I sometimes work long hours to get ahead on things . Sometimes, there are days when you may cut it close because you are trying to reach people important to the story and they are out of pocket. That is when you write like the wind to get the story in as close to deadline as possible.
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a Staff Writer?
The advantage of being a staff writer is that you have something new to write about every day. You also meet a lot of interesting people and exposed to different things. One of the disadvantages maybe the long hours.
6. What is your strategy for staying motivated?
I love what I do. So, that is motivation for me. Also, I have a pretty good boss who keeps us on our toes. She makes sure we are doing the best possible stories out there, which keeps the job interesting.
7. What are your sources of inspiration?
My grandmother is my biggest source of inspiration. She was not a writer. She was a woman I greatly admired.
8. What type of stories do you cover?
I cover a little bit of everything -- crime, education issues, government meetings, profiles on individuals in the community, etc.
9. Are you assigned the stories or do you get to pick which stories to write about?
It is a combination of both. My editor may call me about a story idea. Sometimes I receive tips from the public, which may lead to a story. An idea for a story may come out of a meeting.
10. How do you become a Staff Writer?
You basically apply for a position and sit through several interviews with various editors.
11. How long have you been a Staff Writer?
I have been a staff writer for 10 years.
12. Walk me through a Day In The Life Of A Staff Writer, what is your day like?
Well, I start off with making phone calls to local law enforcement agencies to see if there is anything going on. I touch base with some of my sources to see is there is anything happening that is newsworthy. From there, I work on any stories that may be on tap for the day and conduct interviews. Then, I sit at my desk and knock out the story.
13. What types of articles have you written?
Recently, I wrote a four-day series on an American Indian tribe in Texas and its struggle for federal recognition. I compared the tribe's plight with a tribe here in North Carolina. It was a very educational project.
14. Please share any advice about being a Staff Writer or writing in general.
The market is tough right now for reporters because of the economy. So, be sure you are up on multimedia, blogging and just being internet savvy. More people are turning to the Internet for their news.
15. Do you have a favorite topic you like to write about?
I like writing about really interesting people.
Would you like to be a Staff Writer?
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7 comments:
This was a wonderful interview, Ana. I love to learn about different writing careers and how people get involved with them. It was nice to hear a personal perspective on what being a staff writer entails. Good work.
Very interesting interview. It's great to learn about staff writing from someone in the trenches. As usual, your blog posts are so informative. Thank you!
I like to get information from "the horse's mouth" when it comes to things like this. No one knows what it is like to be a writer of any kind unless they have been doing it. I enjoyed doing this interview because it was with a real person, doing a real job, that dealt with writing. I just feel we should not limit ourselves to just writing a book, when they are so many other possibilities out there to put our writing talents to work.
I’ve done just a bit of journalism…it’s a tough job. Not that fiction writing isn’t. Journalism is tough in a different kind of way.
Deadlines for one, gotta meet those. For my WIP, I just sorta mosey along at a comfortable pace. Double sourcing facts…or tidbits so they can be facts is another trial. Then, there’s the editorial process, or the space problem. Yes, fiction writers have editors, too, but, we generally have the final say-so. Not true (necessarily in journalism.). Then, the question of space. If some other event happens that’s more newsworthy…ops, no space for that piece you worked on for two weeks. It probably gets published eventually, but still.
So journalism is challenging. I admire those who do it.
Best regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
This was really a good interview--have not ever seen one before on this topic. Thank you--- I always wondered what it would be like to be one. Not sure I would want to now!lol Too hard!
@Galen Kindley-Author
Thank you for visiting and for your comment. I also admire the journalist because they seem to have more restraints than a writer would.
Blogs are so informative where we get lots of information on any topic. Nice job keep it up!!
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