Sometimes... life is better in black and white

Sunday, June 1

I'm making progress

Okay, I managed to leave a couple of comments on web sites today, updated my twitter, sent some emails and took the time to actually post another blog the day after I wrote the last one. Yeah!

It may not be much but it's proof to me I can actually break out of my cyber shell. One particular email I sent today was to C. Hope Clark, the owner of http://www.fundsforwriters.com/ Hope is absolutely an awesome writer and really works hard to provide quality leads for writers on contests and markets.

I've wanted to email her for a long time just to thank her for the time she puts into her work for others but haven't had the courage. Today I did it. So maybe it's not the president but I'll get there. The president will probably be easier however, since I don't really care what he thinks. Anyway, it was a big leap for me in the way of getting over my fears.

I remember the first time I had to interview somebody for a newspaper story. I was a staff reporter for the college newspaper. I loved writing but was absolutely scared to death to ask anyone questions, which obviously you have to do when you're a reporter.

I was covering a story on the nuclear Downwinders in Utah who had just lost their court battle and were holding a candlelight vigil on campus. I couldn't bring myself to talk to them so the photographer who was with me jumped in and started the interview. That probably would have marked the beginning and ending of my journalism pursuits if it hadn't been for him.

While that was a long time ago I can still remember it like yesterday. The story I did on that event ended up in the congressional records as the Downwinders entered it as part of their testimony to congress. They chose my story over others that had been written on the same event because they felt it presented the most fair and balanced report about the Downwinders.

Now years later -- I don't think there's much that scares me when it comes to reporting. I've interviewed people from Vice President Dick Cheney to the homeless man on the street and I've loved every minute of it. Although I have to admit there are those times when I've done an investigative story and I know it's going to make people mad that I feel a little tied up in knots right before the story hits the stands and I get that first hate mail.

One of the ways I get through those moments is to say things like,"It's not my job to make people like me. I'm not in the customer service business or I'm not running a popularity contest or I'm not running a political campaign where I have to care whether the masses are pleased with me it's my job to cover the political campaign and make sure the masses know the truth." When I remind myself of this it seems to help keep my perspective on what it is I do.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Tracie - I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, I lost my first reply somehow. But just wanted to say I like your blog, great name! Also, thanks for your supportive comments! Always good to know we're not alone in our work! ;) good luck with your deadline.