Chris Hardesty
Verified
As seen in:
Kelley Blue Book,
MarketWatch,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
Morningstar,
Akron Beacon Journal,
Autotrader U.S,
Faithful & True Podcast
Covers:
Auto advice and electric vehicles. I edit and write stories for consumers about car ownership, car buying and selling, auto maintenance and upkeep, auto financing, auto insurance and more.
Fan of competitive eating & Frye shoes. Father, road trip enthusiast, all-around good guy from Chattanooga. Advice editor at Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was the nightside librarian at The Chattanooga Times while a student at UT-Chattanooga.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I have. It was an electric model. I used to collect antique typewriters but have only one now. It's a Royal model from the 1930s.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Borat Sagdiyev
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Office stuff, Adobe stuff, WordPress, Semrush
Why did you become a journalist?
I thought it would be easier than sweating in a kitchen as a chef.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A cops reporter and I put together a captivating post-mortem profile of a reclusive woman whose death went undetected for a decade.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be prepared to evolve. Embrace new skills and don't fear change.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime via email.
What's your favorite drink?
Diet Coke
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In the kitchen.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Old issues of MAD Magazine.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.