Interview with Richard Cooke, US correspondent and contributing editor at The Monthly magazine

Richard Cooke is The Monthly‘s first US Correspondent and a contributing editor to the magazine. ‘Tired of Winning’, his weekly dispatches, are available in article and audio format. He is also The Saturday Paper‘s sports editor, and a finalist for the Walkley-Pascall Award for arts criticism. His Twitter handle is @rgcooke.

What story has been your favourite to work on so far this year?
I loved profiling Nick Kyrgios. I loved watching him play at the Australian Open – his talent is so cryptic, even to himself.

What’s your process for finding a fresh angle in a story?
Immersion, where possible. I watched every Kyrgios practice session I could, for example, and got absolutely nothing concrete out of it, not a single sentence. But I know it changed the piece.

In your opinion, what makes a good press release?
The sense there is a human being at the other end of it, instead of a hype-man fumbling with thesaurus.com

How was your experience working on the Chaser?
It was so much fun. I was still teething then, and they were very patient with me. My real job was constructing balls for office cricket matches. Polystyrene cups make an ideal core.

Your work sees you performing a number of different roles across the industry. What does a typical week look like for you?
Testing the patience of a variety of editors and collaborators.