Going to Go for inspiration

It’s hard to believe that Kristen Go, a 1996 and 1997 CQ Scholar, ever felt nervous about starting her internship. That’s just not the type of vibe I get from someone so sharp.

During her session today, she stressed the importance of respecting readers’ time. “You’re competing with time,” Go said. “Make your story worthwhile.”

I used to be one of those students who thought the longer the story, the better. I’ve learned that’s not always the case. Many people don’t have time to read an entire news story that jumps from one page to another, so being able to get to the point and master grabbing readers from the beginning is fundamental in this business. “If you can’t tell them why this story is important, you have some issues with your reporting,” Go said.

She doesn’t hold back. Go, an action-team leader at The Arizona Republic, will tell you how she feels. During the hour-long session, I learned that Go is not fond of anecdotal leads, although one ran in today’s paper but only because she approved it.

She has great respect for the reporters she works with. When asked for an example of one whose work we should be reading, she had a hard time singling out just one reporter. “They are very seasoned,” Go said.

Go makes you want to be one of those “seasoned” reporters.

-- Ashley Anthony, Spring Scholar, The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun and University of Houston