As a student journalist at the University of Alabama, whenever I hear an accomplished journalist speak to an audience, the same question burns in my mind each time: What do I have to do to get to your success? Leonard Pitts Jr., a Pulitzer Prize winning writer with Miami Herald, recently spoke to students and others at the University of Alabama. Pitts offered sage advice that all journalists should take along with them on their path to success.

“Read, then write.”

The best way to learn about writing is to examine how others do it. Skills and inspiration won’t come from a two-hour seminar. The inspiration that comes from studying the work of other journalists will give you the courage to write in the style that you have developed.

“Writing well requires persistence.”

The ability to write well does not have a shortcut. There is no copy and paste when it comes to writing. You must be willing to put in the time. Understand that writing is rewriting.

“Most pieces that you read of mine, I’ve read them 20, 21 times,” Pitts said.

Develop patience so you will take the time necessary to read and rewrite your work.

“Good enough is not good enough,” Pitts said.

“Spell check is a stupid tool.”

You must be your own editor when it comes to your work. Remember, spell check does not know the difference between “their” and “there.”

Don’t be afraid to be a reporter.

During Pitts’ talk, one audience member asked, “Where have all of the journalists gone?” Everyone wants to be a columnist, but not a news reporter, the attendee explained.

“We’ve gotten less into the news business and more into the punditry business,” Pitts said.

Pitts blamed broadcast journalism for this problem. It gives a false narrative in which there is nothing we can agree about.

Report what matters

When watching TV news, how much of it is news that is important for you to know and how much is inspired by stimulating pictures?

“I think about this every time there is a story about someone who loses control of their car and drives into an empty building,” Pitts said.

The security camera catches it, and the news shows the footage several times and then slows it down for you.

“That’s a completely useless story,” Pitts said.

Inform!

Media have a lot to account for in this country, but they must not misinform. Media can also give an inaccurate picture of certain demographic groups.

“People don’t realize that the street crime in this country is down to almost record levels.” Pitts said.

He went on to say that many in the media are more interested in selling a story than giving news. That is what we as journalists have to get back to: reporting real news and being less of a pundit, Pitts said.

Media must not forget our purpose: to give the news and let others form their own opinion.

Ariel Worthy, a Birmingham native, is a junior at the University of Alabama. When not in class writing, she can be found writing her own short stories, reading poetry, cooking, looking up natural hair blogs or watching The Big Bang Theory and Boardwalk Empire. Follow her on twitter @airreeulll.

I must admit that when I decided to attend University of Alabama’s (insert the name of the panel discussion) I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I was hoping the discussion wouldn’t turn into a debate about whose race is right and whose is wrong.

The University of Alabama was caught with egg on its face when its student paper, The Crimson White, published a story about Greek segregation. UA’s Mallet Assembly organized a march to protest the segregation and the story quickly grabbed national attention. In response to the outcry, the sororities finally integrated and last month four black girls and two other minority girls accepted invitations (or bids) to join historically white sororities.

The Capstone Association of Black Journalists (UA’s chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists) recently hosted a panel discussing the role journalism played in integration. The panel included Catenya McHenry Ashford, who covered the march for Reuters.com, Jamon Smith, a reporter for Tuscaloosa News, Mazie Bryant, The Crimson White’s editor-in-chief and Stephen Dethrage, a reporter for AL.com.

Fortunately, this panel discussion did not turn into a great race debate, but instead offered lessons that I, a student journalist, found quite valuable.

Speak up!

The University has had its share of racist moments and black students and faculty have come out and complained about it, but this time it was white students who spoke out about it.

Smith laments the fact that for years complaints from minority students about segregation within the school’s Greek system were ignore and that change didn’t happen until white students began to speak out.

“Why is it when a white sorority came forward, things got done?” Smith asked.

Nonetheless, Smith is glad that change has come and hopes it’s here to stay. Smith hopes this year’s integration isn’t a temporary fix to get the media off the school’s back.

Bryant sees the story as a lesson in the importance of speaking up.

“Don’t be afraid to question things,” she said. “This story would not have come out if people weren’t willing to talk about it.”

Having a named source is what made this story different from the others. Having an anonymous source can sometimes make a story less credible, so having a girl willing to put her name out there gave the story life.

Be fair.

Bryant, who is a member of a historically white sorority,  was commended by the other panelists for removing herself from the story and letting the reporters take the lead. Her job was to be sure the paper was being fair.

“[The CW] had to make sure that everyone was given the opportunity to voice their opinion and defend themselves,” Bryant said.

Have a thick skin.

Regardless of how fair you are, however, when you speak up on an issue – especially one as touchy as race – you can expect backlash.

“We had a lot of offensive comments on AL.com,” Dethrage said.

Bryant received criticism as well.

Many alumni felt the story should be left alone. Dethrage explained how his father, who used to be in a fraternity, thought so.

“There is always going to be someone weighing on what you’re writing about.” Dethrage said.

That’s no reason to stop.

And that is the most important lesson I took away from this talk:  As a journalist you have to be willing to go there and when you do, don’t turn back. Keep moving forward.

Ariel Worthy, a Birmingham native, is a junior at the University of Alabama. When not in class writing, she can be found writing her own short stories, reading poetry, cooking, looking up natural hair blogs or watching The Big Bang Theory and Boardwalk Empire. Follow her on twitter @airreeulll.