Wendy Parker
Verified
As seen in:
East Cobb News,
Sports Biblio Reader,
Medium,
MSN Canada,
CBC Manitoba,
WABE-FM (Atlanta, GA),
Atlanta Magazine,
Overdrive,
BlueStar Media
Covers:
soccer, sports and culture, women's sports, sports history, olympics, college athletics, sports books, sports business
Local news yokel: editor and publisher @EastCobbNewsNow; recovering sportswriter @AJC.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a staff writer for a weekly newspaper in suburban Atlanta. I covered local government, schools, public safety and business.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I've still got an old IBM Selectric and a dried-up bottle of White Out that I may donate to the Newseum.
How is social media changing news?
The ability to directly target readers, and to get rapid feedback, story ideas and breaking news tips from them, has been a great benefit.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
William Boot, the protagonist of Evelyn Waugh's satirical "Scoop," published 75 years ago but amazingly relevant today.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To be a trusted, authoritative and reliable conduit for news and information is paramount. If you know your niche, you can't go wrong.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I'm an Apple cultist -- Macbook Pro, iPhone, iPad. I write offline in Word and use Evernote like a fiend.
What's your favorite social network?
It's Twitter in a landslide, but I'm getting more proficient at using Facebook and LinkedIn.
Who do you wish followed you?
I don't worry about who doesn't follow me. I thank and appreciate all who do.
Why did you become a journalist?
I never wanted to be anything else.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wrote about almost everything, mostly sports.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Not one story, but cultivating a women's sports beat that treated the topic seriously and in some depth.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't run with the pack! Trust your instincts. Think proactively about the business of journalism, even if you're in a newsroom now.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
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