What was your first job as a journalist?
I launched my grade-school newspaper. Does that count?
Have you ever used a typewriter?
My handwriting was so bad in grade school, my parents mercifully bought me a typewriter so teachers wouldn't dock points for illegibility.
How is social media changing news?
As our 45th president's campaign proved, anyone can serve as their own mouthpiece. "News" comes straight from the source now.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
You're the eyes and voice of the unseen and unheard.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Clever emails.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Office, WordPress, Joomla, Adobe Acrobat, DriveHQ, InDesign.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram. I have two accounts for two of my favorite things on Earth - one for the Chicago Cubs, and another for my newborn daughter.
Who do you wish followed you?
I had an editor from Beckett Baseball Cards retweet me. That would have made 11-year-old Brian's head explode.
Why did you become a journalist?
Travel and meet people. I did a lot of both throughout my 20s, and now I'm telecommuting to raise my kids in my 30s.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I started as a photographer who discovered his terrible eye and quickly moved into news writing.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
To be determined.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't let fear win.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime during business hours.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
"Ever try an avocado martini?" I was sold.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
If I can't remember a specific one, they all had to be pretty forgettable.
What's your favorite drink?
PBR.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Chasing my son's base hits in the backyard.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Fatherly.com.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I don't have a specific beat, but here's a misperception about freelance writing: you can choose your jobs. You take what you can get!
