Reflections on being a journalist...

I didnt realize how hard this assignment was going to be until I procrastinated and realized that my procrastination was about my fear of failing at the assignment. I knew from the beginning who I wanted to interview and I felt confident after I read all material, I did my research wrote my questions and even set up an interview early in the month and then I made a million excuses everytime I was going to meet with her. Finally, we could not meet and I had to find someone else.
Things happen for a reason I guess becuase I chose someone real special to write about.

I want nervous about writing about her, I just didnt know how to put all the I knew about her to the side and go into the interview objectively. So, I did the same research I would would anyone else and I created some questions. It was really hard not to add what I knew or ask questions to push the interview my way. I really wanted to make sure I captured her not my opinion of her and I had to be real careful that I did not add the profile things she did not say but that I knew.

I found myself laughing because I was so nervous, I asked her too many times to wait let me get it together and then I would judge myself adn say thankgod I know her becuase I could not do this with someone else.

After I got over it, I really breathed and listened. I remembered that I need to be secrptive and so I listened even to the things she was not saying. So for example notice the tears, the silence, what she was wearing etc. I probed for more and to my surprise I found out things i didnt know. It was great to hear her form another perspective.

Writing down everything and multitasking was hard though. I wanted to write down her exact words. That part was cool I could see what quotes I wanted to use and i could see how I wanted to lay out the profile as I wrote. For next time I want leave alot more time to really work the assignment, and have a clear plan as too what I want to say. I felt like i could go everywhere with the profile. I could have been ten pages long.

I also want to utilize my mentor and editorial midwife, i could have really used the support of bringing it all together but I procrstinated and didnt have it ready on time to send it for review.