Colleen Jurkiewicz
Milwaukee
As seen in:
America Magazine,
National Catholic Reporter,
OnMilwaukee,
GMToday.com,
News Graphic,
Milwaukee Catholic Herald
Covers:
Lifestyle, family, parenting, religion, human interest
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
An editorial intern at a digital magazine.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I have, and it was deeply satisfying.
How is social media changing news?
It's putting pressure on writers to provide a deeper perspective and more compelling angle compared to the live-tweet culture.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Judd Mulvaney
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To interest people in the truth.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I'll never find anything funnier than #BrianWilliamsMisremembers.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email or DM.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Laptop, voice recorder, Google suite mainly.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter for work, Facebook for personal use.
Who do you wish followed you?
Sr. Miriam James Heidland
Why did you become a journalist?
It started with an internship, and I became addicted to the stories I uncovered through the interviews I got to do.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
We didn't have one. I would have loved to!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Whenever I get to write about veterans or veterans organizations - locally or nationally - that's when I'm most proud.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't ever assume an assignment is beneath your skills.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time - I'm almost always connected.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Getting offered a cruise on Thanksgiving weekend (I couldn't go, but still).
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A redundant pitch from the mom-manager of a singer I had already written about the week before.
What's your favorite drink?
Diet Coke. I know, I know.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Running after my kids.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Vanity Fair
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That topics like parenting and religion are hyper-niche and inaccessible.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.