Next up on our Meet the Media series is Christina Ausley. Christina is an editorial assistant at Seattle PI, where she focuses on food, beverage and lifestyle. Read all about Christina below and be sure to check out some of her stories!
1. How did you find yourself writing for Seattle PI?
I traveled from my college town in Alabama to Seattle while I was an undergrad to intern out here, and absolutely fell in love with the surroundings. The P-I has been around for a long, long time, so when the opportunity opened up to work with a paper that knew Seattle and its people incredibly well, and had a passion for reporting locally, I had to jump in!
2. Which of your stories are you most proud of?
I can’t pick a favorite story, just like a parent can’t pick a favorite child, haha. I will say that I love speaking with Seattle’s chefs and restaurant owners about their creative work in the kitchen. The work they do requires an extreme amount of dedication and love for the culinary field, and I really respect that.
3. What is your favorite thing about your job?
Everyone I work with is really fun to be around, and really funny, too. They’ve all been so welcoming since I moved out here from my hometown in Kentucky. Additionally, I always enjoy talking with people who want to share their stories with the world, it’s really brave to put yourself out there for the universe to see and hear.
4. What is your interview style?
As long as the person or people I’m interviewing are cool with a recording device, I simply press play and let the natural conversation ensue.
5. What do you look for in a story?
Maybe it sounds silly, but stories seem to find me, instead. People around Seattle suggest places to try, things to do, places to go, so I dive into them. I look for passion and emotion in profiles, both simple stories and complex stories. You can’t really set guidelines for what you are and aren’t looking for, because any kind of story can pop up on any given day! That’s the fun of creative work.
6. What is your day like at your job?
It tends to vary day by day, depending on whatever story I’m working on. I might phone a few interviewees, visit a nearby museum for more info, or lock into my groove typing an upcoming story. A lot of it is research, too, especially when I’m writing up foodie pieces and round-ups. That, and we’re always brewing up fresh pots of coffee.
7. Who do you most look up to in the journalism industry?
Truthfully, I look most to the journalists around me. In the office, we inspire one another, encourage one another, critique one another, all so that we can push each other to be the best journalists and reporters we can be.
8. What is your favorite news outlet?
Oh, that’s tough. I really like reading other local foodie outlets, and flipping through a Seattle Met magazine (where I formally interned) to see what they’re up to, especially travel-wise.
9. Fill in the blank:
- If I am not reporting, I am… Trying new foods, learning how to fly airplanes so I can nab my private pilot’s license (my dad is a pilot,) training for a marathon, backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail, or simply singing along at a nearby concert.
- If I could interview anyone, it would be… Snoop Dogg.
- My favorite thing about Seattle is… The freedom to explore both within and beyond the city. There’s new restaurants to try every week, hiking trails, islands to ferry to, and lakes to go paddle boarding on.
10. What is your guilty pleasure?
Re-watching How I Met Your Mother with a bag of chocolates sitting nearby.
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