Virtual Expert: Aine Gianoli

Aine Gianoli of DTN was awarded first place in the Issues category in the 2006 AAEA Writing Awards Program.

The planning stage: Why/how did you choose the topic? What were your goals going into the story?

Veterinarians are a key component of a healthy livestock population, which in turn is fundamental for the success of the food and feed industries, so when I ran across a few articles that mentioned a shortage of large animal veterinarians, I decided to investigate further and find out the extent of the shortage and its causes. My goal was to find out what was actually happening, why it was happening, the extent of the problem, how it affected livestock producers, and what was being done to remedy the situation.

Fact-gathering: How did you find/choose sources? Did you interview face-to-face, phone, e-mail, and which works best? Do you record interviews? Any tips for getting good quotes? When do you know it's time to stop researching?

I find sources in a variety of ways - the Internet is always the first place I start. Before calling anyone, I like to familiarize myself with the information that is already available on the Web and then generate questions. Usually I discover people during my Internet search that might be good sources. I look for educators, interest groups and most importantly, direct sources. Once I begin interviewing sources, I ask them for additional source recommendations.

Face-to-face interviews are definitely the best, but I also use e-mail, the telephone and an occasional fax to communicate with my sources. I rarely record interviews, though recording is certainly wise - and sometimes necessary - depending on the situation, and prefer to use a plain old pen and pad of paper to take notes.

The best quotes come during face-to-face interviews because people have time to become comfortable and refine their thoughts. I try to jot down pithy quotes, rather those that lack personality or might be paraphrased.

I research a topic until the murky glut of information begins to clear and separate, usually when independent sources give consistently similar answers. This guideline varies, of course, depending on the topic. Some subjects are multifaceted and highly contentious, which makes it difficult to find the facts, let alone cohesive opinions. I don't stop researching until I feel the information I've unearthed is truly representative of the situation and factual.

Writing stage: Any tricks to conceiving/writing leads? Do you outline before you start writing? What about writing style? Do you do a lot of re-writes? Do you like sidebars? Do you write at home, office, away from distractions? Do you have a "sounding board" or editor for critique/advice? How do you fact check?

My goal for each lead is a sentence that will make the reader desire to read the next paragraph. This can be done by focusing on the main fact of the story, a curiosity, or a scene-setter. I sometimes write an assortment of sentences and then choose the best one.

My journalism professors wouldn't like to hear this, but I only use outlines occasionally. I don't do a lot of rewrites, striving to end up with a polished product for the first draft and then rewriting as needed. I like sidebars when a story is many-sided, spilling into another story that complements the main piece.

My editors are probably the better judges of my writing style - it is hard to self-diagnose. I do strive for succinct sentences. I've never forgotten my journalism professor who pointed out that one of the most powerful sentences written consists of two words: Jesus wept.

Editors are an essential part of my writing. They help me improve and force me out of my bad habits. An editor who will question me, slash at my piece with a brutal red pen or delete key, pose an alternative perspective, and rewrite an awkward sentence is an invaluable find.

I write in a newsroom and have learned to tune out distractions. Newsrooms are generally noisy, as are many other environments in which journalists find themselves. I think it is probably best not to allow one's self the luxury of being accustomed to a distraction-free writing zone.

Give a little background about your professional career, value of AAEA involvement, networking with colleagues.

I earned an AS in general agriculture at the Santa Rosa Junior College in California before transferring to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where I graduated with a BS in agricultural journalism in December 2003. During college, I worked as a University of California Davis research assistant in California's Shasta and Lassen counties and served as an editorial aide for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Conservation and Survey Division and School of Natural Resources. I joined DTN in 2004 as an editor and reporter and became a full-time general assignment reporter in August 2006.

Involvement in professional organizations like AAEA broadens my perspective. I hear about new topics, discover more about old ones and have the opportunity to learn from veteran journalists.

Any other advice for students; for instance, your views on maintaining ethical standards?

Try to get away from preconceived notions. Know why you are pursuing a story and have questions in mind going into it, but listen to what your sources are telling you and learn from them. Entering an assignment with a clean slate helps me learn about what is really happening in a situation, rather than connecting predetermined dots. Everyone has a story to tell so I need to let them tell it and report what they said to the best of my abilities.

Credibility is key in journalism, and it can only be maintained by telling the truth. Verifying information, double checking the spelling of names, using knowledgeable sources, working to present all sides of an issue so one is not favored over another, and maintaining personal decorum are all musts.

Once a reader's trust is lost, it is nearly impossible to recover it.