Wes O’Donnell
Michigan
As seen in:
TED,
LinkedIn,
Medium,
OneZero,
Bleacher Report,
The Walrus Magazine,
RealClear Defense,
War is Boring,
AMU Edge,
Soldier of Fortune Magazine,
EDM Digest
Covers:
Military, Veterans, Defense, Addiction, Suicide, Mental health, PTSD, HR, Employment, TV, Film, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship
US Army & USAF Veteran | Juris Doctor | YouTuber | Also, I write about national security on Medium and Substack | Pro-Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇸
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Writer for the military magazine Warrior Lodge
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes to write my first novel at age 9 in 1986
How is social media changing news?
The news is much more organic now that billions of humans are digitally connected
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Walter Burns (Cary Grant), His Girl Friday
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I'm an idealist. I still believe that only an informed populace can make calculated decisions about their place in society.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email please
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Adobe Creative Suite, Office, Slack, TOR and Echosec
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook
Who do you wish followed you?
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Why did you become a journalist?
Blogging for traffic turned into a passion for reporting
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I did not
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Closing the increasing military/ civilian divide
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Humans are captivated by a storyteller. We all love to be taken on a journey. Become a good storyteller first and the rest will come.
When's the best time to pitch you?
24/7
What's the best pitch you ever got?
An invitation to write about hiring veterans. The payoff was super fulfilling
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
People that pitch brands, instead of stories. Too many to count.
What's your favorite drink?
Baileys
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Filming or photography at various locations
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Wired Magazine
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That Post 9/11 veterans are somehow broken and unable to compete for meaningful employment in the civilian world.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.