…and gives advice whose lucidity could only come from a conversation with children:
“Discipline, Alex and Tanieka, is the prerequisite for accuracy and fairness, which add up to integrity. To make sure you’ve got the story right, you learn to report against your own story. Check your facts, not only with the people who are likely to agree with the premise of your story but also with the people who are likely to disagree. If you’re unclear about what someone meant, never be too timid to call back and clarify. To make sure you’ve got it fair, you learn to set aside your personal opinions, the way a judge does in a courtroom. If you’re writing a profile, imagine the person you’re writing about is you. Discipline applies to the writing, too. Get to the point. Be as clear as possible. Cut out anything that doesn’t serve the piece. Write every day. Rewrite. Then rewrite again if you have time.”
I’m posting this here only has a personal reminder. I forget to do nearly all of this.
See the rest here (yes, it’s 6 months old).