I look at most newspapers now (reading three a day, still, in print) and wonder why they think they’re worth my time and attention. Too often, their perspective is snoooozy and the narrowly defined beats create a hierarchy that is really stupid and stultifying for any writer with a creative spirit. One of the greatest pleasures of freelance and T/S is calling what you see — without worrying you’ll piss off another reporter whose territory you’re straying into and learning a lot more in the process.

Journalism looks, to many people, like a great place for someone who is creative. As traditionally structured, I think it’s not at all. You are expected to be productive and there’s a huge difference. I often wonder if someone offered me another FT job back in that world, even at good money, if I would want it.

You are so on point with this. I wasn’t laid off from my last newspaper gig, rather, I saw the opportunity to become what you call an Entrepreneurial Journalist and it just seemed so much more exciting than the career track I was on, so I quit. It didn’t hurt that given the direction of the print industry, I knew that career track would likely one day lead off the edge of a cliff. I can’t lie, the first few months were tough, but I had planned the move well, got a few breaks, and now everything is going better than I could have imagined just one year ago. T/S has absolutely been a part of that success, as well as my own willingness to stretch and try new kinds of journalism, like radio.

You’re also right about the tendency for sensationalism to increase web-traffic, but that is true in any medium. Glenn Beck has far more listeners than This American Life, but which is better radio? At my own T/S blog, I’ve been tempted to go sensational on some stories but I know that in the long run, that isn’t going to help the brand I’m trying to build. That’s another bonus of this kind of work, I get to make that decision and captain my own ship for the first time. Feels pretty good.

Cheers, Lou, for taking this opportunity and running with it.