John P. FitzRandolph

Cal Poly - B.A. English, 1970; Journalism minor

Other degrees/certificates:

Secondary Teaching Credential

Current city/state:

Cambria, CA

Employer:

Self

Professional Website:

 

Job Title:

Freelance Journalist, Research Writer, sports broadcaster, radio copy writer, editor of newsletter for Pacific Wildlife Care in Morro Bay

How Long in Current Position:

8 years, but I have been writing my whole adult life

Brief description of position duties/responsibilities:

Writing Journalism, broadcasting high school football and baseball games, research/writing scholarly articles on various subjects, copy editing, proofreading and original writing.

What specific qualities/abilities, skills are necessary for this position:

A person must be a competent and creative writer, have self-discipline, be resourceful; journalism cries out for fresh insights, doing the homework necessary and learning how to ask questions that result in substantial answers; broadcasting requires a good voice and strict attention to all aspects of the game; freelancing requires good self-discipline and plenty of self-esteem comes in handy!

While at Cal Poly, what resources did you take advantage of that have helped you in your current position:

I wrote for the Mustang Daily and learned the art of interviewing; I learned how important it was to get the reader's attention in the first sentence of whatever you write; I took English Literature courses and "went to school" on world class writing (Steinbeck, James Joyce, FitzGerald, Hemingway -- many novelists began as newspaper reporters); I was never shy about asking for help and advice from my Cal Poly professors and they took a special interest in my work because my writing was in the Mustang Daily every week

What advice would you give to someone interested in your profession?

Work for a newspaper first before thinking about freelancing, no matter what job you may have, and you will have several in your developing years.  Write, write, write, whether it is for a Sierra Club newsletter, an online e-publication, a weekly home-town feature tabloid, your office newsletter. . .keep sharp by writing; nose around and find out interesting things nobody is talking about.

Is there anything you'd like to personally add about how you found your way to your current career since graduating from Cal Poly as an English major?  Any memorable epiphanies that marked major turning points on which path you chose?

I was always writing for some publication, usually for small compensation, but when I took a job as a benefit concert promoter/producer, I had a chance to copy edit concert biographical materials for John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, and others. The original copy for John Denver was so bad, I re-wrote the whole bio. John liked it so much he gave me other editorial tasks. Linda Ronstadt's manager used what I wrote about Linda and scrapped existing bios they had used. It made me realize, hey, I'm good enough to do this at the highest level of entertainment. My Cal Poly English professor (and author) the late Rip Hansen took me under his wing and gave me the confidence to believe in myself. That's half the battle.

Contact:

Students can email me at johnfitz44@yahoo.com. I have interviewed personalities from Ronald Reagan to O.J. Simpson, from Reggie Jackson to Jerry Brown. Part of getting in to talk to "important" people is selling yourself to those blocking your way to the high-powered people.

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