Reporting Isn’t About Facts. It’s About People.

Apr 7, 2013 | 3 comments

Today’s post is from reporter Amy Zillner. She’s the reporter who reached out to me in November to help me get the word out about The Unemployment Cookbook.

As a creative writer, I’m intrigued with how reporters grapple with “just the facts”. I opened up a Guest Blog post to Amy with one caviat: Write what you want. I gave her no leading, no subject, and when she asked, I refused to give her direction. I wanted this post to be strictly herself, in her own words.

This is Amy’s post.

Reporting isn’t about facts, it’s about people

 
Hi all!
 
It’s such an honor to be a guest on Molly’s blog. I’m so grateful to be here.
 
Molly’s such an inspiration to me. I bet she inspires you too. I feel truly blessed to have met her.
 
She’s amazing! She took her dream of publishing The Unemployment Cookbook took action and made it a reality.
 
My dream. I wanted to be a freelance writer. Of what, I didn’t know. My B.A. in English hung on my wall, a gleaming example of my education —a dusty reflection of disappointment.
 
Can I tell you something? I never wanted to be a reporter. I had one class in college and said Nah! Too factual! Too boring!
 
As a creative writer and avid reader, facts were considered a part of daily living that I strove to escape from. Whereas fiction weaved a beautiful world I could get lost in.
 
It wasn’t until I actually had my first assignment that I experienced what a blessing and a challenge being a reporter really is.
 
The Blessings:
 
·        If you’re passionate about something it can become your whole life if you let it.
 
·        Forgiveness can bring peace and healing to many if a victim of tragedy can share their story to educate others.
 
·        Listening to someone’s life story is something everyone should do.
 
·        Reaching 100 years carries a lot of living with it; one person can influence the lives of many.
 
·        Dreams can’t become a reality if you don’t take the steps to make it happen.
 
·        People out there are rooting for our youth to have the opportunity to go to college, and they’re actually raising money to help them get there.
 
My Biggest Challenge:
 
·        Fear
 
I’m not going to get the interview. I’m going to sound like a fool. I’m going to disappoint a lot of people. I’ll never be a good enough writer to make it through.
 
My constant companion.
 
If you’re looking to take a step toward your dream, fear is going to be your companion too. Sometimes you’re going to think you can’t do it.
 
Let me tell you something I know about fear. It’s a small creature casting a huge shadow puppet on the wall of your imagination.
 
And it isn’t until you face that shadow that you’ll see how small fear truly is.
 
So take that step toward your dream.
 
YOU CAN DO IT!
 
Let go of all the excuses of WHY you can’t and take a step towards HOW you can.
 
If you want to be a reporter start talking to people, immerse yourself in your community and the world around you.
 
Everybody has a story and everybody has a voice, we need only listen.
 
I’m listening.
 
Will you share your dream with me?
 
Genuinely Curious,
 

Amy Z.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

Meet Zoey

Apr 7, 2013 | 4 comments

For reasons I’ve yet to disclose, I’ve been quite unable to Blog lately. Time, resources, and a changing of the guard have kept me from my keyboard recently.

Happily, I logged online tonight to find this delightful surprise in my Inbox. While she’s not a resident of Catford Manor, she is a cousin. And she warms my heart. Not a bad way to get back into Blogging, yah?

Meet Zoey.

Zoey

Isn’t she just purrfect? I can’t wait to Cat-sit for her someday.
What are your favorite pets?

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

Amazing Amazon

Mar 27, 2013

While I still have over two weeks to raise enough funds to publish A Study on the Ten Commandments, I’ve taken a second route to the same ultimate destination: the Study is now available for purchase for Amazon’s Kindle. [You can check it out here.]

I’m still working on a Barnes & Noble Nook version.

This path is more unique than anything I envisioned when I long ago knew I would be a Writer. In my childhood days, I drew stick figures named “Fred” on napkins, or scribbled notes on the margins of anything I could find.

I dreamed of one day submitting my work to a publishing house and after much trial and tribulation, finding that working formula that allowed them to say, “Yes. We like you.”

But that day hasn’t come. Because it doesn’t have to. I’ve dealt with the editor who wants to change my character’s speech pattern. I’ve received the necessary rejection letters.

And I opened my horizons to other avenues. The ultimate goal as a writer is to write. It’s necessary. It’s a daily activity that can’t be ignored or set aside. Writing calls to me as strongly as a spring flower reaches for the sun. It can’t be helped.

Being published, then, is a fine byproduct of those efforts. Self-publishing allows me to side-step the many sections of red tape and other interferences. I simply want to write, and write well.

I hope this doesn’t disappoint you.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

If you’d like to pre-order a printed copy of A Study on the Ten Commandments, click here.