Two Pulitzer Prize winners visited class today

Neal Santos of Philadelphia City Paper took this
picture of Wendy Ruderman (left) and Barbara
Laker in their workspace at the Daily News.

Can you spell the word "AWESOME"? It truly is the best descriptor of today's Magazine Article Writing class, during which Pulitzer Prize winning journalists Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman from the Philadelphia Daily News. Here are some highlights:

Wendy: It's a really fun job. [On talking to strangers:] That's the best part is going to the streets. It's a pain but then once you start, it's really fun... [But] People want to talk to you.

Barbara: People in the neighborhoods want to talk to you.

Wendy: Some stuff -- door knocks [as in seeking to talk to the families of the victims of tragedies] -- I hate.

Barbara: You'll give whatever it takes to get the story. Be empathetic and connect [to your sources] on a personal level... Once you give someone your word as a reporter, you have to keep it.

Wendy: There's always the police version [of a story] and the other guy's story and everything in between.

Barbara: People are gray and you learn that the more stories you do.

Wendy: The older you get the more thing start to bother you [she said, referring to cases such as the story you write setting free a drug dealer].

Barbara: [On getting someone to talk who doesn't want to] You have to appeal to them and think, 'Why would they want to talk to me?'