Betsi Hill
Verified
(She/Her)
As seen in:
MSN,
BuzzFeed,
Flipboard,
Miami Herald,
The Charlotte Observer,
The Sacramento Bee,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Lexington Herald-Leader,
Tacoma News Tribune,
Wichita Eagle
and
Covers:
Florida travel, food, and drink
Doesn't Cover:
Cannabis, casinos, gambling
Author of Oldest St. Augustine
Travel, history & storytelling
Speaking • Events • More books coming
Interview
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Absolutely. Long before I became a journalist, I worked as an administrative assistant, back when using a typewriter was an actual job skill. The upside is that I learned to type about 75 words a minute, which has turned out to be remarkably useful for someone who eventually decided to make a living putting words on a page. I still type that fast. Whether all 75 words are the right words on the first try is another matter entirely.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means being curious enough to ask another question and responsible enough to get the story right. It means listening closely, doing the research, checking the facts, and never assuming the obvious story is the whole story. Some of my favorite stories have started because something made me stop and think, “Wait, there has to be more to this.” Usually, there is.
It also means understanding that people trust us with their stories. Whether I’m interviewing a chef, exploring the history of a place, or writing about a destination, I have a responsibility to represent what I find honestly and fairly. My job isn’t to tell readers what I want them to see. It’s about looking closely enough, asking enough questions, and doing enough reporting so I can show them something they might not have seen otherwise.
To me, that’s journalism: stay curious, follow the thread, get it right, and tell a story worth reading.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email, please, and make it personal. Tell me why you think the story is a fit for me and give me the hook up front. I’m always interested in destinations, hospitality, food and wine, history, and people with genuinely interesting stories, but I want to know what makes this story different. Please don’t send me a generic press release and make me hunt for the story buried somewhere in paragraph seven. Give me the interesting part first. If it makes me stop and say, “Wait, tell me more,” you’ve probably got me.
What's your favorite social network?
If I have to choose, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, probably in that order. Facebook for the conversations and connections, LinkedIn for the professional community, and Instagram because I still love a beautiful photograph and a good story. I could happily live without trying to figure out what any of their algorithms want from me on a given Tuesday.
Who do you wish followed you?
Can I have two? Stanley Tucci because I suspect we'd have a lot to talk about over dinner and a really good bottle of wine. And Reba McEntire because she's Reba. Enough said.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I was a reporter, and then an associate editor.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Treasure Fever on the Treasure Coast (Lost Treasure Magazine)
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Stay curious and ask one more question. Do your research, check your facts, listen more than you talk, and never assume the obvious story is the whole story. Some of my best stories have come from following a thread I wasn't expecting to find.
And write. A lot. You become a better journalist by doing the work, accepting edits, learning what you don't know, and doing it again. Don't spend so much time worrying about building a platform or looking like a journalist that you forget to actually be one. Find good stories, treat people's stories with care, meet your deadlines, and get the facts right.
Most importantly, develop your own curiosity. The world doesn't need another journalist telling exactly the same story in exactly the same way. Figure out what makes you stop and say, “Wait, there's more here,” and follow it.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I am a morning person, so anytime before 1pm in the afternoon is best for me.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A pitch about forest bathing! I actually had to research that, as I had never run across it before. Very intriguing pitch!
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A pitch asking me to cover a men’s intimacy product. I’m a travel journalist who writes about destinations, hospitality, food, wine, history, and culture, so I’m still trying to figure out exactly which of my clips inspired that particular PR decision. Needless to say, I passed.
What's your favorite drink?
I adore a delicious red wine...Pinot Noir from California, Primativo from Italy, Malbec from Argentina, and always a Cabernet Sauvignon.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Exploring something new in a place I thought I already knew, or sipping a glass of wine somewhere with a good story attached to it.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Travel Pulse. I love reading the various verticals, which inspire me to experience more.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
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