;Maryland Writers Association

ExpertClick.com & The Yearbook of Experts, Authorities & Spokespersons

As journalists, we frequently look for experts to quote. We might hesitate to contact the talking heads we see regularly on television, either because they're on so frequently and everyone's heard what they have to say or because we're too intimidated and think they might not talk to us.

The New York Times called it; "Dial-an-Expert." CNN called it: "An Invaluable Tool"  The New Yorker has written if up twice in their Talk of the Town column.

As fiction writers, we often need a detail about law enforcement procedures or other factors of daily life, from today or a century ago.

How can you find an expert who's willing to talk and share their knowledge? Depending on the topic, I look to ExpertClick.com. It's a collection of experts, authorities, and spokesperson that's been around since 1984 and specializes in people who are really experts in thousands of fields. The topics range from crisis management, mentoring, sibling rivalry, long-term care insurance, Keto diet, this year's hot toys, the 1970 Chicago Cubs, sibling rivalry, and even why you should tell bad jokes.

You know these experts will talk with you because the apply to become an ExpertClick member. Mitchell P. Davis, publisher, screens their qualifications and included only the ones he finds have true expertise.  He is adamant that "Citizen Experts" without bona-fide credentials who don't have a professional reason to be available – a basic text of "skin in the game" will just spin the wheels when asked for comment. 

Another advantage to ExpertClick is the members post news releases and blogs about their current work or their opinion about a current news topic. The releases and blogs are a great resource when you're looking for article ideas or when you're seeking a different slant on today's headlines.

Then, there's the fact that writers don't pay for this service. The full directory, in PDF form, can be downloaded for free at www.ExpertBook.com. A 368-page print version is available from Amazon for $9.95  at https://www.amazon.com/Yearbook-Experts-Authorities-Spokespersons-Annual/dp/B0B3RBL691

Periodically, a writer goes from researcher to source when they develop enough expertise to become an expert or authority. Or, when they become a publicist for a profit or nonprofit organization. They've learned that ExpertClick is a good resource and decide to become a resource for distributing their releases and blogs. There's a fee to becoming a member – the basic profile is $5 a year.  Davis says: "just asking for $5 does two things. 1)  Gives me a simple tool to verify they are who they say they are, and 2) Helps me remove the deadwood and zombie accounts who are no longer active."

Journalists can register too, https://www.expertclick.com/Journalist/Registerjournalist.aspx ... And he has a secret sauce that he uses to validate if a journalist is really a journalist, for his rule is that a true journalist has been sought out a professional organization of journalist and been accepted a member.  He's got a database of 224 journalist groups that his www.NewsCouncil.org group has found to be bona-fide journalist organizations.  You can see that list here:  News Council's Bona-Fide Journalist Organizations with email redacted.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HkZuDX77N_MeaZ34r43jVDW8J8gcA-DxU6CUiWZCc_g/edit?usp=sharing

NewsCouncil.org is Mr. Davis' site that offers pro-bono profiles for selected non-profits that he finds have important messages to share.  You'll SPJ and other journalist groups listed there.

To contact Mr. Davis he can be reached at: Mitchell.Davis@ExpertClick.com and (202) 333-5000 rings on his desk  He is great interview and one of his passions it du-bunking hoaxes. 

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