Dan Tynan
(That Guy)
- Freelance Journalist, Writer and Editor, Freelance
- Founder and Contributor, The Tynan Files
California
As seen in:
The Tynan Files,
Medium,
Forbes,
The Guardian,
Yahoo Canada,
Yahoo News,
Mashable,
Quora,
WIRED Magazine,
Yahoo Finance,
Adweek
and
Covers:
AI, automation, cyber security, education, family tech, IT management issues, Internet's impact on society, machine learning, mobile apps, politics, privacy, smart homes, social media, tech dystopias
Doesn't Cover:
Porn, sports, really nerdy stuff, funding rounds, executive hires/promotions/ego stroking, shoes
Writer, editor, professional troublemaker.
Intercourse Elon. See you on Threads.
www.threads.net/@dantynan
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
You mean one that paid in actual currency, not just coffee and snacks? That would be copyeditor at Infoworld, back in the previous century.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I am that friggin' old. Hell, I used a *manual* typewriter. Smith Corona. I still remember how Wite-Out smells (and get a little woozy).
How is social media changing news?
It's much faster & far less accurate. Also much more temporary. News cycles approaching near zero. And if it can't fit inside a tweet, well..
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
E. K. Hornbeck in "Inherit the Wind." Played by Gene Kelly, but it was based almost entirely on H. L. Mencken. 2nd choice: Lou Grant.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means people are deeply suspicious of you, constantly kissing your ass, or both. It engenders a deep cynicism. That's what I love about it
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#ihavenofuckingideassoimjustgoingtomakesomethingup and yes, I just made that up.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
In a supine position, having my feet massaged while holding a refreshing beverage. Also: via email. If you call, Mr Hyde might answer.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Stone tablets, goose quills, and yak's blood. What else is there?
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter (duh).
Who do you wish followed you?
Actually I think someone is following me right now. Did you hear something? I could have sworn I heard something.
Why did you become a journalist?
People are amazingly generous of their time & expertise for reasons I have yet to figure out. It's like college but w/ fewer keggers.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I was a high school loser never made it with the ladies til the boys told me something I missed. #walkthisway #aerosmithrox!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A story about the Panama Canal & a piece on the legal marijuana biz last year were really a blast to report. The rest I don't remember.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't do it! Marry someone rich. Run off to Bolivia with a pan flute band. Become Ashton Kutcher's personal slave. Anything would be better.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time except before or after 12 AM. In other words, there is no good time. Just email me and hope for the best.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was for a job that asked for a Cal basketball fan who was extremely sarcastic. I didn't take it.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
How much time do you have? I collect awful pitches and share them with friends. But most of the worst are usually related to porn.
What's your favorite drink?
Gin + a jigger of arsenic mixed with the blood of a virgin. Or beer.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Like most bipeds these days, I rarely go anywhere w/o my smartphone. So I'm never not at a computer. Is that pathetic or what?
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
This varies too much. But I tend toward the NY Times, the NYer, Rolling Stone, Esquire. What can I say, I'm old school.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That because something has some connection to 'technology' I would want to cover it. Everything has a connection to tech these days.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.