Former New York Times reporter, Pulitzer Prize winner and best selling author, Rick Bragg, lectured to Journalism students at UT, Thursday Nov.1.

He discussed his childhood, how he became a journalist and gave the students tips for writing in journalism.

Bragg, who currently teaches a journalism class at the University of Alabama, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for several stories, including the Oklahoma City bombing and the Susan Smith case, in which a woman drowned her two babies, said Bragg. Although he said that he is proud of his stories, he does not like to talk about his award because he won it for writing about tragedies.

"She drowns her children in a lake and I get a prize," Bragg said, referring to the Susan Smith story.

You see the world, truly, and you write about it. Rick Bragg, Pulitzer Prize WinnerBragg grew up in Appalachia, listening to his uncles tell stories and learning how to tell them himself, he said.

"Tellin' a story ain't hard," he said.  "I never believed somebody would pay me money to do that."

"I didn't know a story could be eloquent and beautiful; that it could change a life, get somebody out of prison, put someone in prison"

He started out writing for the Jacksonville (Ala.) News and eventually worked his way up to the New York Times, which is where he was employed when he won his Pulitzer Prize.

Bragg shared his passion, experience and advice to the journalism students. Although he now authors books, Bragg continues to have a passion for news.

If you can show the reader what you are trying to convey, then you won. Rick Bragg"Newspaper will remain one of the most important parts of my life," he said. "You see the world, truly, and you write about it."

He shared valuable advice while talking to the students. He stressed the importance of a college education as well as the value of internships.

 "The secret to being a good reporter is getting all the stuff you need," he said. "If you can show the reader what you are trying to convey, then you won. And if you can't then you really better like that night cops beat."

Bragg will continue writing. He has another non-fiction book as well as a novel left under contract.