Words & Tricks

Watchdoggin’: Top notch reporters & editors share investigative journalism tips for ethnic media

This weekend the nonprofit Investigative Reporters & Editors, Inc., a grassroots organization devoted to improving the quality of investigative journalism, brought professional journalists from the New York Times, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Wisconsin State Journal to Minneapolis for a two-day conference and workshop. With partners New American Media the Twin Cities Daily Planet and the Twin Cities Media Alliance, IRE provided workshops and networking sessions focused on strengthening watchdog journalism, and building coalitions, among local ethnic media.

It’s not often that I have the chance to be trained by professional, working reporters and editors from nationally recognized, Pulitzer Prize winning newspapers. For a nominal fee of $25, which included lunch and a year’s membership to IRE, I was practically obligated to go. More »

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Freelance Clips (0)
• About Chris Pommier (1)
• Minneapolis Star Tribune wins multimedia journalism award (0)
• Making Journalism Matter in Minneapolis [Video] (0)
• 8 random things about me - A meme (5)

Tags: Andy Hall, conference, David Donald, education, Edwin Okong, ethnic media, freelance, investigative journalism, journalism, Marco Fernandez, Media, Minneapolis, Minnesota, minority, networking, News, Newspaper, Ron Nixon, Ruben Rosario, Sandy Close, Spokesman-Recorder, st paul pioneer press, watchdog role, wisconsin state journal, workshop

Networking: A Theory

I’ve been putting some thought into the topic of networking lately and found this post at BusinessNetworkingAdbive.com. Josh intervies Merlin Mann, proprietor of a very successful blog called 43 Folders.

In the interview they discuss what Mann calls “humane networking”

So I guess networking, in an ideal world, just means you help your friends meet cool people as you do nice things for them. I can get behind that.

But the grinning bearers of business cards who clearly want to put your soul in a Bell jar on their desk? I can still do without them.

I absolutely agree with Mann’s sentiment, but find that it lacks concrete suggestions for those of us who are

1. Shy
2. Want to avoid weasel-dom
3. Bur want to build connections within a specific community

So, here’s my thought: rather than attending networking events and wandering around mute, find a volunteer position, or project, within your target community that is a “gatekeeper” position. For example, in the world of academic writing, volunteer to help publish and edit a journal. There are many other examples of gatekeeper positions one could fill. Post some suggestions here. No pressure.

Once you’re involved with a project or position that is perceived by others to be a position of power and influence, people will come to you. This should allow you to simply meet more people in your target community. You’re natural charm and giving nature should take care of the rest.

At that point you should be meeting cool people (the point of networking) and you can start instituting Merlin’s suggestions of “humane networking.”

Good luck! Let me know how it goes.

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Watchdoggin’: Top notch reporters & editors share investigative journalism tips for ethnic media (0)
• Networking: What not to do (1)

Tags: business, networking

Networking: What not to do

I hate networking. It’s such a pain that I think I must be doing it wrong. After all, isn’t it supposed to be the holy grail of finding clients and getting work as a writer? I submit here my most recent attempt to connect with other writers and, thereby, more clients.

Editors Editors Everywhere …

Last night I attended the Minnesota Magazine & Publications Association annual mixer, “A Magazine Celebration.” Held at the Open Book building in downtown Minneapolis and hosted by the Loft Literary Center, editors, publishers and especially writers from the local scene attended. After picking up my badge I stepped into the main area and learned a couple new things:

• There are over 300 magazines published in Minnesota.
• Everyone there seemed to already know everyone else there.
• MMPA knows how to pick a pretty good red wine.

It was overwhelming. Sample magazines festooned the walls and overflowed tables. The temperature slowly climbed as more writers filed in until I was flushed and I was sure I was sweating in a very unattractive manner. Editors and publishers dressed in buttoned down shirts and pressed blouses sailed through the crowd making every effort to not meet my eye. This had the effect of making them seem a little ashamed of themselves. Their heads tilted down, eyes unfocused or trained on an empty corner of the room made it appear as though we were moving through two different worlds that coincidently, just for that night, overlapped.

However, I do count the night a partial success, because, if nothing else, I did meet someone there that I knew. Yes, I realize that the point of networking is not to meet people you know already. But seeing someone that I’d already worked with proved to me that I am making progress in cracking the circle of media movers and shakers. I like to call them the mediacrati.

What not to do when trying to work a room

Let this be a warning to you. Dont

• Waste time flipping through magazines or photocopied mastheads.
• Drink more than one glass of the wine.
• Wander aimlessly munching on a cracker so as to “give your hands something to do”.
• Cross your arms over your chest, or put your hands in your pockets. Why is it that arms suddenly become superfluous at the most inopportune times?

Further Reading on Words & Tricks

• Watchdoggin’: Top notch reporters & editors share investigative journalism tips for ethnic media (0)
• Networking: A Theory (0)
• I Survived My First Poetry Reading in Years (5)
• Finally … (2)
• Deep Thoughts, by Jonah Lenetsky
  Or, How He Spent his Summer Vacation (0)

Tags: journal, networking