Wholestory.com Classroom

DISCUSSIN TOPIC: QUOTES (deadline Sat July 12)

2008-07-09T08:21:25-05:00

Quotes give the story life. But you have to find the RIGHT ONES. Is there a rule of thumb re what kind of information to put in quotes? Let’s give some good ones (and bad ones) ... have you added any really good ones to s a story this week???

QUOTE

UNQUOTE

let ‘er rip.

also—keep the nutgraf thing going… we are starting to get somewhere. Later today I will post a few more GOOD EXAMPLES (a la Jose’s sado-maso one....) Also… don’t forget to order at Starbucks.

DISCUSSION QUESTION #1: Ledes. Deadline: FRIDAY May 30

2008-05-25T05:54:39-05:00

Folks:
Here is the first of your sometime-weekly Discussion Questions. Answering and thinking about is a required part of your internship Training.

DQ #1: What makes a good lede? What makes a bad one? Have you written a great lede, either first week of internship or elsewhere? Post, pls!

Read these ledes/story tops below. Choose the one you like best. Tell us what’s good about, why you like it, what you might be able to steal/borrow/model for something of yours?

Bonus question: What do all these story tops/ledes have in common?

Ex. 1: Story on long-time postal worker retiring: Chips Quinn intern Cindy Santos, Summer 2006:
After nearly a half-century of delivering letters, Walter Benson on Wednesday turned in his mail satchel for the last time.
“This is it,” Benson said, handing over his U.S. Postal Service identification badge, keys and government-issued credit card to Salinas Postmaster Irma Solis-Smith.
“An era is gone,” Solis-Smith said.

Ex. 2: Top to story about funeral of a firefighter killed earlier in the week when a gunman opened fire at a Wendy’s restaurant: Jerome Burdi, South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

Here’s how to remember Lt. Ray Vazquez: He was married to a woman who stole his heart, his children adored him and a league of firefighters considered him an inspiration.
The funeral for the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue lieutenant Friday at Cruzan Amphitheatre brought more than 1,000 firefighters from across the state to say goodbye to the man who kept a human touch in a job filled with a succession of car crashes, medical calls and fires.
So remember him for that, speakers at the funeral said, not for his untimely death when a man shot him in the back for no apparent reason Monday at a Wendy’s restaurant west of West Palm Beach.
“Today we are here to celebrate life,” Lt. Mark Knickerbocker said.

Ex. 3: Top to a court sentencing of a 16 year old girl who pleaded guilty to shooting a classmate: Anne Saker, Oregonian:

This summer, Pauline Sue Brooks became a felon.
Then she gave birth to a daughter.
On Monday, she went to prison.
On Wednesday, she turns 16.
Brooks of Southeast Portland received a five-year sentence in Multnomah County Circuit Court for a gang-related shooting last November in which Brooks fired a gun into the chest of a 13-year-old girl. Her long hair knotted on top of her head, her body clad in shapeless black sweats, Brooks faced Circuit Judge Alicia Fuchs to accept a punishment negotiated with the district attorney.

Ex 4: Mike Lopresetti column, Jackson Sun:
GLENDALE, Ariz. - And now, the inexplicable sounds of an unfathomable Super Bowl XLII.
Thud.
That was history.
Clank.
That was perfection.
Crash.
Those were the New England Patriots. The unbeaten New England Patriots. The renowned New England Patriots.
Oh, and one more sound.
Clink.

DISCUSSION QUESTION #2: Story Ideas! Deadline Wed Ju18

2008-06-13T16:10:03-05:00

Okay, guys, I know a few of you are still (in Europe/ in school/ wending way to internship/ teaching at Bamma—pick one) but let’s get this show on the road anyway.

DQ #2: STORY IDEAS:

-- Got any good ones?
-- Ever done a great one?
-- What you got working or coming up that we could help you frame or focus?
-- How do you turn a ho-hum assignment into a good one? (Ever done? Doing now?)
-- Where do good ideas come from, anyway?

Any and all. Best idea response wins an astounding prize!!!

Deadline JJune 18. Don’t forget to check in with the latest at STARBUCKS. Keep posting to ledes when and if you have a good one (or a question about a bad one...)

See ya

DQ: What I Learned … Deadline Thurs Aug 14

2008-08-10T04:48:01-05:00

DQ. Dairy Queen. Discussion Question. Deep Quote.

Dear Folks—

some of you are not near ending, but most of you are drawing near. Please use this thread to describe to us at least ONE THING you learned during your internship, what surprised you about it, and how you plan to carry it forward....

Still haven’t heard from some of you on Almost Home thread… What you want to accomplish is different from what you have learned… in the end, guess it all goes to the same place… let’s break it down.

Go Team.

See at least some of you in Nashville…

DISCUSSION TOPIC #5: Hard news, soft news! (deadline: Wednesday next, 7-23)

2008-07-18T06:00:18-05:00

Hard News, Soft News

Nobody has space for long features.

Long drawn out “soft” ledes are becoming a thing of the past.

Narrative as we once knew it is almost non-existent.

So-- How do we tell a “news” story in a compelling, interesting, non-hard news way without making our editors crazy?

Any good ones? Good examples? Use of v. short narrative-type ledes that still get to the news quickly? Anyone turn a “hard-news story” into a compelling tale without violating the no-space rule?

DEADLINE: WED 7/23. (Don’t forget to visit Starbucks and tell us your life story....)

STARBUCKS

2008-06-03T06:11:08-05:00

Dear Folks:

Welcome to STARBUCKS, the place where we will just hang to talk about stuff that doesn’t have anything to do with training or journalism or internships. It’s just a coffee-break place, where you can order a Mochachino and yack about your pet, your sports team, your boyfriend (not too many details, please!), or anything you feel like yacking about.

This is your Place To Visit, not to bend your brain.

Please visit. Place your order. Let’s chat.

DISCUSSION TOPIC: Almost Home! (Deadline, Sunday Aug 3)

2008-07-31T06:18:30-05:00

ALMOST HOME!

Folks—some of you are coming to the close of your internships… Others are half-way there (see question in Starbucks about mid-term review)

Question:

What ONE THING do you want to accomplish by the end of your internship?
—A particular story?

-- a story approach?

--- a chance to ....what?

-- a lunch with your ed?

-- a job offer?

Tell us, and tell us what steps you plan to take to GET THERE—and how we can help you!

Aaron’s Multimedia Thread

2008-05-22T12:53:49-05:00

Dear Folks:

I would like to use this thread as a place to talk about multimedia, to ask Aaron questions, to voice issues, and most of all, to post any multimedia bits (links to, pls) you guys do during your internships. We are so lucky to have Aaron with us in this merry little Chipster band—I want to give him this special place to address people’s concerns and to give all of us advice as needed!

MULTIMEDIA ROCKS!

Internship Goals

2008-05-20T09:48:45-05:00

Hello Mary Ann and everyone!

I think one of our homework assignments were to post goals we wanted to get out of our internship. Here are mine:

Writing Goals:

1. Getting rid of all the clauses and commas that I love.

2. Writing simple, short concise sentences.

3. Keeping one idea to one graph.

4. Smoother, tighter transitions.

General Journalism Goals:

1. I need to find a current reporter who has a writing style that I admire and read them religiously. Does anyone have any suggestions? That way, I can absorb some good writing techniques and styles.

General Career Goals:

1. Since I only have two classes the last semester after my internship, I have some free times on my hands. I want to develop relationships with editors in my area about freelancing, so I’ll want to send them clips throughout my internship and keep in touch with them throughout the summer.

Thanks guys! Have a nice day! Miss you all already!

-Rachelle Leah Gines

DISCUSSION QUESTION #3: Nut Graf!!!! DEADLINE SUN 6/29

2008-06-25T10:05:42-05:00

Eek—where’s your NUT GRAF????

-- anyone have trouble with them?

-- have a hard time finding?

-- forget to add?

-- What the heck IS a nut graf? (seems like everyone has a different opinion!) What are they supposed to do?

-- do all stories have “nut grafs,” or just the ones with featurey ledes?

-- Can you post an example of a good one (include lede up to it...) that you have done, or that you have seen?

-- more the merrier.

ANYONE NEED FEEDBACK ON ONE THEY ARE WORKING ON TODAY???

(remember—I am available for private discussion/chat/ story review/ brainstorming/troubleshooting via email mahogan at aol dot com)