How to Keep the Confidence of Your News Sources

As promised, it's time for another episode from the circa 1924 advice pamphlets on how to be a reporter. And "make money quickly."

I'm mostly skipping over the relatively dull section on "How to Query a Newspaper When You Have a News Story." It does a have a couple nice moments. "Write your stories briefly. Remember that 'Brevity is the soul of wit; therefore get wisdom.' You can't harangue the public, not to mention the editor who handles your story in the newspaper office."

And of course don't forget, " Be careful not to write drivel, "rot" newspapermen call it."

Right, and FYI here at the Eugene Weekly if you want to pitch a news story, drop a note to Ted. But no drivel. Please.

It's the next section that caught my eye — "How to Keep the Confidence of Your News Sources." I think it speaks for itself. (Do keep in mind this was written almost 100 years ago.)

If Mrs. William L. Smith's maid saves Mrs. Smith's little daughter from a bulldog, people want to know about it. The story would be all the better if the maid happens to be a negress. It would set them to talking about the loyalty of negroes. If a maid routs a tramp from the house after the tramp has attempted to molest some one of the household, or to carry away silver or bric-a-brac, that is a good story. It is all the better if the maid chases the tramp with a broom — woman's weapon. You see, it is the little things in the stories that make them good.

That's right. The little things.