When you're writing about the same subject for the umpteenth time, it can be a stretch to find the fresh angle or intriguing tidbit that makes the story worth reading.
Today I was two interviews into an assignment that was supposed to have just one source, and I still had not learned anything I didn't already know about business matchmaking software. It's a hot topic, but what I was getting was the PR party-line.
So I grumbled a bit to my contact, and she graciously goaded a senior executive into speaking with me on short notice. That 15 minutes put the whole story in perspective. I learned something I didn't know about the biotech industry, and I was able to write the story in short order.
Make "Tell me something I don't know" your mantra when you prepare interviews, ask follow-up questions and review your research, and what to write about will be clear.
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