Finding bankruptcy tales in your backyard

Melissa Ritts, appeared in The News-Herald in Willoughby, Ohio, in a story headlined, "The Face of Bankruptcy."

Tracey Read of The News-Herald in Willoughby, Ohio, saw a story in The Wall Street Journal about last year’s 32 percent increase in personal bankruptcies and decided to localize it. She tells the story of an area resident who sought bankruptcy protection.

Through the tale of Melissa Ritts, readers can see that bankruptcy isn’t a magic pill. As Ritts says, even though she filed in 2005: “I still have to explain the bankruptcy. It still affects and limits so many decisions we make.”

Tracey says she found Ritts after the paper posted a blurb on its main Web page for a week asking people to contact her for the story.

Today’s Tip: Your news outlet’s Web site can help you find sources.

“It was a little tricky getting someone to agree to using their name and photo,” Tracey says. “The Internet really helped me out on this one!”

After major disasters, such as the earthquake in Haiti, a standard part of your coverage plan should be to seek local residents with ties to the affected area via an appeal on your Web site.