Advice from the pros

Profile writer Sean Smith spoke to our class on conference call Monday. I really admire his writing, so the opportunity to ask him direct questions was delightful.

Sean gave several tips that I will take with me into the harsh world of journalism:

• Write out your interview questions before hand. Write a script, memorize it, and then leave it at home for the actual event.
• Research everything you can find about a person before you interview them.
• Get a good digital audio recorder.
• Don't wear red to an interview.
• Celebrities are not your friend. Be polite and formal, work into familiarity gradually.
• You are not writing the truth, but a truth. Relax: you will not understand everything after a single interview (think first date), so focus on giving the readers an accurate impression of your experience meeting and speaking with that person.
• Writing well is hard. It will not get easier.
• If you want to succeed in this business, don't be lazy. Do the best you can with every assignment you are given--article or photo-caption. Gain the reputation of reliability.

It was a good pep-talk: Time to step it up and get into the game.