Thomas French loves stories. He enjoys having them unfold to him over a period of time, instead of hearing the whole story in one sitting.
That is also how this Pulitzer Prize winning journalist likes to write his own stories. He is a project reporter for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, writing book-length stories that are published in installments.
"One of the best parts of the long story is when you have to wait for the next installment," French said. "When you wait you are allowed to absorb, contemplate and grow."
French speaks tonight at the Michael D. Rose Theatre about everyone's right of access to public records, but he will bring a much deeper lesson for U of M students.
"You can't learn everything from a text book," said Amy Stevens, a freshman anthropology major and journalism minor after French spoke in one of her classes.
She said it is important that experts like French come to The University because it gives students the opportunity to learn from their experiences.
French has had many such experiences throughout his career that he plans to share with students here.
He began his career right out of college at the St. Petersburg Times, doing mostly project stories.
He said it is unusual for a reporter to work at the same paper for so long, but the years just went by.
Staying in one place has also given him the opportunity to be a big part of his sons' lives, which he said he is grateful for.
One of the experiences French learned a lot from was the time he spent teaching at the his sons' schools. He taught both of them from kindergarten to fifth grade.
"When they got to middle school they didn't want me around anymore," he said.
It was through teaching young children that he learned how to articulate what journalists do.
He said the kindergartners used pictures and hieroglyphics to write stories. They would dive write in.
"Children are fearless writers," he said.
He could take their courage to heart as he faced his own writing fears. He said he is afraid of not being any good even after winning the Pulitzer.
After winning, he said the voice of doubt got louder. It's the fear of deadlines that pushes him past the fear of writing.
No matter what the voices of doubt tell him, his peers think highly of his talents.
"He's the best long story writer," Rick Bragg, a long time friend and former employee of the St. Petersburg Times said.
Bragg, also a Pulitzer Prize winner, said French has a mastery of language. He has the ability to make anything he's writing interesting without losing touch with the meaning.
Bragg said French can take a small story and show you the value in it by making the story come alive.
"Tom always believed that newspaper stories could sing," Bragg said. Another student who heard French speak in a class, Chris Eck, said French reinforced for him how important it is to paint a picture when writing.
Eck, a sophomore journalism major, said hearing French speak was not a chance he'll have again after tomorrow night.
Students, journalism and others, will get to hear him then if he didn't come to one of their classes.
He will speak about what rights the media and public have concerning gaining access to public records.
"Censorship affects everyone's ability to know about the country they live in," French said.
He said, for journalists, its important to know public record laws because virtually every reporter he knows encounters issues regarding them.
"It's like breathing if you're a journalist," French said. He said it is the nature of people in power to want to work behind
closed doors. But, it is important in a democratic society for everyone to work hard to get the freedom to access records.
