I have been a freelance reporter for the San Angelo Standard-Times for more than three years now. It is a job that is perfect for me:
In addition to being able to be creative and have a job that fits around my schedule, freelance writing gives me an opportunity to speak to people I might not normally have a chance to meet. Also, it satisfies my desire to ask questions (If I don't ask enough questions, I'm not doing my job, right?).
I have been thinking about starting this blog for about six months now. In June, while working on a story about the San Angelo drag boat races, there was a boating accident. Amazingly, both drivers survived. But I will never forget, as I was waiting for a golf cart to pick me up and take me back to my car, when the accident happened.
The lady in charge commandeered the golf cart I was getting into, and said, "Get in the back; you have another story to write!"
My first "breaking news" experience, my immediate thought was, "The editor is going to kill me for getting the story in late."
The commandeered golf cart was an experience in itself; I found out on the much slower ride back that the man driving it was an emergency vehicle driver in the military. Wish I knew that on the ride to the exit dock-Holding on for dear life (in the rain) on the back of the golf cart, I was thinking "This man is crazy!" and, "If I get killed on this ride, that story will never get in!"
I got home (eventually) wrote the story about the accident on an adrenaline rush, then somehow managed to get the original story in before deadline that night (Dinner, however, did not get served on time- I think my husband gave up and ordered pizza).
After that story, I realized that many stories I write have more to them. Not every quote fits in the story, and not every experience can be printed. So hopefully, I can get "the rest of the story" on here!
