What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporting for a now-defunct "newspaper" in Virginia. But I landed a Sunday cover photo on the Washington Post, and that launched me.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. I've even used a pencil.
How is social media changing news?
Pro and con. There's more information, but value? If we can't get paid to write more than 140 characters, info alone won't help society.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Let's just not go there.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Creatively. I deeply research and report. I expect PR to do their own research, to see where I'm writing currently, not just fling spam.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. Like most of us I wrote, learned about editing, production, etc.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Probably the piece on undocumented farmworkers for the Atlantic, but I've also been proud to edit great work.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read! Read the form of journalism, how stories are shaped, ask why something works or doesn't, ask yourself how you think they got the story.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Nope. There's no best time. Have a good pitch, period.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It's not that simple. Being timely helps. It also helps if you ask why I should write this. If you've asked, you should have the answer.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
The one sent to 600 other editors and writers, all in the TO: column, not bcc'd. Rookie hour.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Sweating on a bike or running or hiking or shooting photos. Or burying my nose in a great book. Or standing in front of a classroom teaching.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read very widely. I also listen to podcasts. It is truly a golden era of journalism, even if it's never been tougher to live off it.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I only cover cars. Or only travel. Or only tech. I cover all of these and more. Also, that I'm that OTHER Michael Frank.
