If you ever see someone writing on a steno pad while standing upright odds are they are a journalist.
According to a recent study, journalists write standing up 95 percent of the time. The other five percent is split between sitting and squatting. Journalists like writing standing up because they tend to think better on their feet. Ask any reporter why they got into the business, and writing while vertical is at the top of the list. Journalists like to write standing up in the cold, snow, rain, tornadoes, hurricanes, press conferences, town hall meetings and zombie attacks. Given the option of taking notes while sitting or standing, majority of journalists chose the latter.
The only thing better then writing while standing is writing while walking. It takes years of practice to perfect this technique. Some advanced journalists are even able to hold a voice recorder while walking and writing, just in case they can’t read their shorthand later. Often walking and writing is reserved for special scenarios where the interviewee doesn’t have patience time to deal with the press.
Be prepared to walk and write if you are interviewing a politician, musician, athlete, coach, lawyer or anyone who doesn’t want to be interviewed. With budget cuts and smaller staffs in the industry, some journalists are also required to take photos, record video, update the web, blog and Twitter while standing and taking notes.
