I have two jobs. I work with companies wanting to grow their business through social media and cyber public relations. But I am also a writer and journalist, as I have been for about 19 years. It seems, and this is not something they told me in journalism school, that reporting never leaves you. Or rather, you can’t leave it. So through the years as I’ve tried to permanently put my reporter’s hat away and leave journalism completely to pursue public relations, I’ve always come crawling back, resulting in a pathetic display of pleading and ass kissing that goes something like this.
Me: “I’m sorry Journalism I can never leave you. I promise I won’t do it again. Please take me back. Forgive me?”
Journalism standing with hand on hip, looking skeptically: “Ummm, hmm, ain’t that what you said last time?” (Journalism’s got a bit of an attitude.)
Me: “This time is different, I realize I really love you Journalism.”
Journalism: “Fine, here’s your notepad and pencil back.”
And all along, I knew that would be the result because Journalism always takes what it can get.
So I’ve settled into a polygamous life of being married to my career as a journalist as well as being a slave to my career as a social media and cyber public relations consultant. And within that marriage I receive a ton of story pitches. Honestly, the majority of pitches I throw away. In fact I’m tossing a few right now. I’m not even looking at them. That’s because they don’t know how to pitch a story.
Journalists all over the world are wishing more people knew how to pitch a story idea. So I’ve created a webinar to teach just that. It’s part of a series on do it yourself public relations Ask a Reporter: How to Create a Press Kit. Stay tuned for details on the launch.