The only way to get better is to do it day and night. Took hours upon hours to do this. Also a big time-suck, since it's usually two or three days before you can meet. Finally, you'll start writing the story, though exhaustion is guaranteed with this kind of schedule. A better way is phone interviews.
Second interview is also great time to take photos.
The second you get your story idea or assignment, start calling sources and interview them over the phone. They actually prefer this to in-person interviews, which are a pain to schedule and conduct. After an interview, I simply hit Apple-P and consult the printout while I write the story. Anyway, get comfortable on the phone, since you'll be using it a great deal. Once I'd gotten the feel for writing stories, it's time to freelance.