Using the “Boots on the Ground” Ethos for Effective Journalism

Firsthand accounts and primary sources are the ace in the hole in journalism and nonfiction writing. But it's even better when the writer is also the eyewitness. 

(What Is Undercover Journalism—and Why Is It Usually Discouraged?)

Pounding the pavement. Shoe-leather reporting. On scene coverage. Boots on the ground. Whichever term you prefer, the meaning is the same—as a journalist, you simply have to be there.

I came across a great quote online, “Boots on the ground beats loafers in the office,” which sums it up beautifully.

I’m not just referring to breaking news reports or covering storm surges from the beach; I mean all pieces, from features to essays. By immersing ourselves in our subjects and stories, we bring them to life. This requires time on location, in the community, and more intimate and firsthand interactions.

It involves gathering information through observation, on the spot interviews, in-depth research in the field, and intense listening.

We’ve all read superficial blogs created with online research only. There’s nothing wrong with this type of writing and I’ve produced my fair share. But it’s just content. Now compare those pieces to the work of embedded reporters or literary journalists like Gay Talese and Truman Capote. There’s no contest. We can attempt to emulate these great writers by going where the stories are.

How can you accurately describe a place or person if you’ve never been there or met the individual? When you’re on the scene, at the event, or sitting in your interviewee’s living room or workspace, that’s when you can observe the surroundings and use evocative, visceral descriptions. You see the richness of the colors, sense the atmosphere, hear the chickens clucking, smell the bread baking, feel the quality of that handmade quilt on the sofa. Descriptions go from blah to oh lá lá! in an instant. 

If you’re not there in person, then you must rely on what someone else saw and thought using Google to rustle up a quote. It’s just not the same level of writing.

Boots on the ground journalism can enhance many types of journalistic writing:

Boots on the ground can help you produce better stories and more effective journalism.

If you’re on the scene, in the community, or at the event, you may find some new information simply because of your presence. This could be through observation, something a local resident tells you, or gathering any number of details that would be impossible to find through secondhand sources. Building good relationships with community residents is the key to finding information no other journalist has yet uncovered.

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The Writer’s Digest Guide to Journalism is a practical, informative, and well-researched introduction to journalism and its best practices, with actionable advice, tips, techniques, explanations, and anecdotes straight from the field. In this digital guide, writers will learn how to write an effective news piece, skills need to be an effective journalist, outlets for publishing journalism, journalism associations, and so much more. Both inspirational and pragmatic, The Writer’s Digest Guide to Journalism is packed with valuable resources for aspiring journalists.

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It doesn’t need to be as dramatic as spending five weeks undercover with an alleged cult, like I once did. And the topic doesn’t have to be a murder like Capote’s In Cold Blood. It can be any story that you feel needs further exploration and exposure.

Keeping things local will make it easier and cheaper. By cutting out travel time and costs you can visit the people or places involved multiple times.

And research doesn’t need to take weeks, months, or years, unless you have the time and resources to pursue it. This could be for a long-term project like a book or series of essays.

You can embed for months or just visit for the day, what matters is that you go and spend time at the place or with the people that you’re writing about.

This could mean any of the following:

These are just a few examples. This is how you get the important details that make your articles sing.

I prefer interviewing in the field as it comes naturally to me. I dislike phone interviews as I like to get to know the person and see their expressions.

I think it’s best to interview people in the place they work, where an event occurred, or in their homes. This allows a writer to describe the settings, maybe an unusual painting on the wall, Is that a Picasso? You can also describe mannerisms and reactions, smiles, eyerolls, and so on.

Here are some reasons why in-person interviews are superior:

I was interviewing a local councilor at a flooded coastal cemetery, and he was saying people saw coffins floating out to sea in the past. This was already a good news story/feature, but then we spotted a pile of bones at his feet. They were human remains. We had to call the police. The angle of my story suddenly changed from ‘storm floods cause damage’ to ‘human remains unearthed in church cemetery.’  If I had done a phone interview I would have missed this story.

Taking comprehensive notes is essential for accurately reporting what you observe and hear. Details often slip our minds quickly. Remember, these are notes, not interviews or essays.

I covered a political rally for NYT Live and was assigned to write blog posts from the location. This brought back memories of my time as a newspaper reporter and having to write quickly. It was both demanding, exciting, and great practice.

I recommend you give this little exercise a try.

Attend an event or just go to the flea market or farmer’s market. Take notes on the spot and craft a short blog to post on social media—do all this right from the field.

Focus on capturing the general vibe, then zoom in on one captivating detail. This exercise improves your multitasking skills, quick thinking, and ability to write swiftly without overthinking it.

Being the eyewitness and the writer is when magic happens. It makes your writing and message more meaningful. Just remember one important caveat—journalists should never become the story!