Gonzo Journalism is a kind of first person direct reporting that became well known through reporters like Hunter S. Thompson. (He is best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.) Unlike other forms of journalism, like observative and/or investigative journalism, Gonzo requires direct participation on the part of the journalist.

I think Gonzo is the best form of journalism, because the best kind of research is often “hands on” as they say. Second hand sources such as articles or television are often presented biasedly, Where-as first hand accounts are usually more trustworthy as they contain direct experience.

You want your articles to touch people in an indelible way? Write on the things that affect people most.

Don’t just research from a distance, get involved with addressing the issues head on. You gain more respect from your peers and colleagues if you actually have credibility on the topics your writing about. An example, before Jack Kerouac wrote “On The Road” he conducted his research by living what he wrote about. While H.S. Thompson was the first reknown gonzo journalist, he was not the first gonzo writer. I would say Jack had him beaten by a few years there.

Dear readers, if you are going to do the gonzo journalism thing, as I mentioned previously, do be careful. Direct involvement with the subjects of your research is not always the best, choose how you go about your research wisely. If something you are researching has a “bad vibe” to it, I say keep your distance.

In some cases, observative research is better than gonzo, it really depends on the topic, anyway thanks for reading and God bless.