Thread by @ByFernandaS

My longform narrative students are listening to @valfernandez, winner of the inaugural American Mosaic Award by @HSFdn — and my good friend, talk about cultivating sources and negotiating tough interviews. I’ll tweet some highlights. Follow along. #longform @Cronkite_ASU

Reporting is about connections. Keep phone numbers of people who seem interesting to you, even if they aren’t interesting for the story you’re working on. They will likely be helpful somewhere down the line. #longform @Cronkite_ASU

As a freelancer, it’s important to have a stable of fresh stories. “Pin your ideas on the wall and follow your gut.” Even if your editors don’t see the story, follow it if you believe in the story. #longform @Cronkite_ASU

Valeria first heard about mental-health issues among Central Americans migrants from a woman she met in waiting room of a lawyer’s office in 2014. Her story came out in 2017. #longform @Cronkite_ASU phoenixnewtimes.com/news/saras-dem…

Keep in touch w/ your sources after the story comes out. They can lead you to other stories. Valeria’s piece about the Central American woman w/ mental health problems came from contacts developed while reporting on this piece:
pri.org/stories/2016-0… #longform @Cronkite_ASU

Unplug your preconceptions and really listen fully to what the story is telling you. Be fair to your sources. "Good journalism leads to good journalism. If you break the trust of your sources, it's going to hurt you." #longform @Cronkite_ASU

This is something I've told my students so many times: Share something about you with the people you're interviewing -- an interview is not an interrogation. "Be who you are and bring who you are to the interview," @valfernandez says. #longform @Cronkite_ASU

On the often difficult first approach with a potential source, @valfernandez likes to use her shortcomings - "I'm that reporter with an Uruguayan accent" - to break the ice. Breaking the ice is key. Again, it helps to share some about yourself. #longform @Cronkite_ASU

This is good advice for freelancers and students: It doesn't matter that you don't have a news organization behind you (just yet). Report with confidence. If you believe in your story, go for it. #longform @Cronkite_ASU

This is the closing message I have for my students. @valfernandez is an immigrant. I'm an immigrant. We've had our challenges - we all have challenges and "shortcomings" (purposely in quotation marks). Don't let that stop you. #longform @Cronkite_ASU