When I mentioned Roland’s name to my editing teacher, he kind of gasped and looked fearful for me,” Altman said. “He gasped the way they do in Harry Potter when Harry says Voldemort’s name.”

• Get it First, But First Get it Right
• Who Got Screwed?
• If They Can Move Their Lips, They’re Lying
• The Story Should Be Interesting or Important For Your Audience — No One Except You & (maybe) Your Mom Really Cares What You Think
• Write Drunk, Edit Sober (This is a metaphor!)
• Show it — Don’t Tell it
• We Don’t Give No Shit — But We Don’t Take No Shit
• Assistant City Editors Are Mice Training to be Rats. Assistant News Directors are Yes-Boys Training to be Yes-Men
• Avoid Working For a News Startup With More Than 2 Well-Known “Journalists” On The Masthead. (And Be Suspicious of Anyone Calling Themselves a “Journalist”)
• “A Real Reporter STARTS Working When the Source Says ‘No.’ ” (attributed)