randomWalks

Lots of the people Strauss called didn't want to talk to her. Getting people to talk who don't want to is hard, but stories are more reliable and more interesting when they include the viewpoints of the people who are at the center of the story.

"It's never easy asking people questions about difficult times in their lives, but reporters have no choice," Strauss said. "I start out by sounding as professional and nice as possible. We usually have to call people more than once, so it is easier if you haven't been rude.