Ben Dahl
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Cool Material
Covers:
Tech / Cars / Music / Alcohol / Trends / the list goes on and on.
Stories and stories and stories. Views are my own. @coolmaterial @wearBRZN @stylevillain @chicagoartshop @nostupidfuckingwork
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Writing for a small blog out of Denver.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. I actually have two of them in my living room.
How is social media changing news?
Expediency.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Honesty.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#unlikelysequels ranks pretty high on my list of favorite hashtags ever, but I don't know if it's really "news-related."
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
E-mail.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Wordpress, Evernote, Windows, Slack, iOS devices, Chrome
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook.
Who do you wish followed you?
POTUS.
Why did you become a journalist?
If I'm being completely honest, it kind of just fell in to my lap.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Kind of. I worked for the artkid version of the high school newspaper where I was the Editor In Chief.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Either my interview with Moby or my coverage of a Lexus driving event with Ken Gushi.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
The Nike slogan is a great place to start. "Just do it."
When's the best time to pitch you?
After 3pm
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I'll let you know when I get it.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
There are just too many to name, but they all start with an opening that includes a wrong name or wrong outlet.
What's your favorite drink?
Old-fashioned.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Working in the shop.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
NOTCOT
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That editors have final say about publishing.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.