Tip #17: Junk the juicy quote.

When you talk with a story source who drops an unbelievably juicy quote in your lap, it's hard to resist popping that puppy into the lead paragraph--especially if it's shocking.

Sometimes it's better to just pretend you just didn't hear it. Or better yet, paraphrase and repeat it--in a positive way--for confirmation.

Since it is my job to make the client look good--and not get readers' undies in a bunch--today I overlooked a quote about costly screw-ups and instead focused on the greater good (reducing global warming with waste-to-energy power generation).

Not as fun, but more responsible.