Story of My Book

Unfiltered is about how to combat misinformation using perspective journalism.

My name is Sudiksha Kochi and I am the author of Unfiltered. I wrote this book for two reasons. First, I am passionate about fighting misinformation. I had the opportunity to work at PolitiFact, a Pulitzer-Prize winning fact-checking organization, where I discovered just how dangerous misinformation can be. When an individual is exposed to falsehoods, they are forming a perception of reality that not only puts themselves at risk but puts others at risk too. We see it all the time, from the groups of anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers who believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is "fake" to the QAnon conspiracy theorists who continue to believe that the 2020 presidential election was a fraud. It is scary to think that misinformation can lure hundreds of people across the nation into its trap.

I also wrote this book because many people think of journalists as "stenographers." To put it simply, they think that journalists go to the White House or Capitol Hill, hear what politicians have to say about an issue, and then present those words to the public. Well, I am here to tell you that is not what journalists do! In fact, journalists challenge the power of elected officials, engage in their local communities, and report from an angle all the time. This side of journalism, however, is never fully exposed to the public.

My book is about perspective journalism, which is a concept that I branded after doing extensive research and interviews with journalists from a variety of different experiences and backgrounds. Perspective journalism combines the fundamentals of news reporting with the fundamentals of fact-checking. In this book, I introduce six principles of perspective journalism and offer strategies to help combat misinformation using those principles.

My hope is that, in reading this book, you will discover more about what journalism is and, more importantly, use journalism to positively impact your life. Ultimately, I want you to see this book as a tool to help you fight misinformation on a daily basis and change your thinking about any news topic at hand.

In this book, you'll hear stories such as...

• Former NBC journalist and GoLike founder Mariana Atencio's experience covering three hurricanes, one earthquake, and a mass shooting at a Texas church. She conveys the idea of storytelling in journalism and how stories have to be told with "raw emotion that really needs no translation."
• Independent journalist Jennifer Karchmer's time in Reykjavik, Iceland documenting freedom of the press as a volunteer for Reporters Without Borders.
• Emmy-Award Winning NPR journalist Tonya Mosley's thoughts on rebuilding trust with local communities and the power of accountability in journalism.
• Freelance journalist Alice Driver supported by the National Geographic Emergency Fund for Journalists documenting the experiences of families living in Latin America
• PolitiFact founder and Knight Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy at Duke University Bill Adair's model on the continuum of journalism.

Unfiltered is a nonfiction book that speaks to anyone who wants to look at journalism and combating misinformation in a new way.

The Book - Unfiltered

This book is divided into three parts.

Part 1 contains the introduction + chapters 1 - 3. In this section of the book, readers will learn the history behind misinformation, why the term "fake news" should not be used, Bill Adair's model on the continuum of journalism, the psychology behind misinformation, and the prevalence of misinformation in society today.

Part 2 contains chapters 4 - 9. In this section, readers will learn about the six principles of perspective journalism. Each chapter will feature 2-3 journalists whose experiences contribute to the foundation of each principle.

Part 3 contains chapters 10 - 12 + conclusion. In this section, readers will be offered strategies to help combat misinformation on a daily basis using the principles of perspective journalism.

What We Need & What You Get

This book will be published with New Degree Press. I set up the pre-order tiers to help cover the costs for publishing my book. Money raised will go towards the following:

The editor I will work with to revise and publish my manuscript in August of 2021.

The cover design of my book. (The mockups you see currently are a placeholder!)

The layout design for the interior of my book (physical copy, ebook formats).

The copy editing for my book to polish the grammar and spelling prior to publication.

The launch & promotion efforts for my book when I ultimately publish this summer. 

When I pre-sell 120 copies of my book, I will publish a paperback and ebook. When I pre-sell 150 copies of my book, I will also publish a hardcover edition. When I pre-sell 200 copies of my book, I will publish a hardcover edition and an audiobook.

I am also offering some exclusive rewards for people who pre-order my book now:

You will receive a personally signed copy of my book when I publish.

Your name will appear in the Acknowledgments section of my book.

You will receive early access to the Introduction and other excerpts from my book, with the opportunity to review them and give me early feedback.

You will have the opportunity to be involved in selecting my cover and title.

You will be invited to join my Author Community and get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks into the publishing process.

And much more!

About the Author

Sudiksha Kochi is a sophomore at George Mason University majoring in communication with a double concentration in journalism and media production/criticism and a minor in political communication. Kochi is expected to graduate early in 2022. On campus, Kochi is the president of the Society of Professional Journalists and a staff writer for the Fourth Estate. Off campus, she is an intern for PolitiFact, a broadcast intern for Voice of America's media lab, and a reporting intern for Voice of America's Student Union. She will be a breaking news intern for USA Today this summer, which she is super excited about!

Kochi believes that the job of any journalist should be to serve his/her community and, through this book, she is hoping to provide a tool for individuals to be more informed about how to fight misinformation. She wants this book to impact people in a positive way and possibly even better their lives.

Kochi aspires to be a political reporter or a White House correspondent for a print publication after she graduates. She is also curious about investigative journalism.

When Kochi is not studying for classes, watching the news, or working on her internships, she can usually be found reading books! She loves all genres, especially fantasy! She also loves spending time outside in the sun, going on long walks, and playing with her two umbrella cockatoos.

For more information, you can connect with Kochi at sudikshakochi.24@gmail.com and on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook!
Instagram: @sudikochi.24
Twitter: @KochiSudiksha
Facebook: Sudiksha Kochi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudiksha-kochi-6979...

International Preorders

For international preorders, please send me a private message. 

Risks & Challenges

The biggest challenge with publishing a book is delivering the finished book to the backer, specifically my mailing of the book to you. I have eliminated this risk by including the cost of mailing and shipping the signed copies into each pre-order tier.

The risk of delivering the pre-sale copies of my book is contingent on the publisher we use. I will be working closely with New Degree Press to make sure we ship the pre-order rewards to you as early as possible. We will keep all pre-sale backers up-to-date as to when my book will publish. You will know when the copies of my book you pre-ordered are expected to ship.

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean they can't help:

Please share my pre-sale campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with your friends, family and network. Please use #Unfiltered and tag me as well as my publisher, New Degree Press, so that we can help amplify your efforts.

You can easily share my pre-sale campaign via Indiegogo at the top of the page.

Please share my book with 5 friends, family members, or co-workers who you think would enjoy it via text or direct message on social media.

Thank you so much for all of your love and support!

Thanks again,
Sudiksha Kochi