Folks—please tell us here what you would like to do/ plan to do that is different, a longtime goal, a new way of approaching a story, anything that you hope to accomplish by the end of your Chips internship. How can we help you get there? What steps do you have to take? Be specific—be goal oriented.

Elvia - 03 April 2010 10:17 AM

I haven’t started my internship yet, but I’m starting to think of story ideas that I can have when I walk into the newsroom.
-Elvia-

Yep I know you haven’t started yet—I been following your great work at the school paper! Tips on creating story ideas.... just think EVERYTHING. Alkways go out wiht your camera. Nothing ISN"T a story potential…
One of our Chipsters did a thing on Snow Days. Someone else is working on popper scooper laws.... There is the news EVENT, the thing that happens (the protest, the new law), around which you can do a Culture-of piece (ie, the culture of poop scooping, the people who clean up after Fido and those that don’t, etc) ... Then there is something very simple and quotidion—like The Coming of Spring (but you will be in Summer....): A series of images of spring, when you know it is just around the corner. If there is big heat this summer (as there was last), might think about something like: What happens wwhen the temperature rises (talk to cops—more or less crime? Talk to store owners—more or less shopping at the mall, etc. etc.) Who wins in the heat? Who loses? kind of thing....

Then there is the issue waiting under the surface to be dug up.... That just is keeping your ear to the ground. Is there a neighborhood or a culture or an ethnic group or an unusual church or THING the town i sknown for, that yeilds omse kind of interesting subterranean issue to explore? (Like, maybe, a recent huge influx of Hmong immigrants or something… ) Then there is the ALWAYS THERE AND BIG—like, immigration, Haitians, crime, etc., that can turned sideways to let you look at an issue through an interesting lens. (For example: Is there a Haitian community in Louiseville? How have they been faring since the earthquake, etc...). Is there some trend that you spot (more people crowding the streets with bikes, thus making car drivers crazy, so now there’s a silent war going on between the car riders and the bike riders? Etc. etc. Just look, and think “turn the kaleidoscope… what’s underneath...” Can’t wait to hear more.

Great question. I said early on that I wanted to write a piece that was like a feature story. I’ve done that. I also feel like I have a better sense of how to frame stories. These are all goals that I said I wanted to accomplish when I began this internship. I’ve been able to achieve all of these, which I am so grateful for.

Looking ahead to the next two months, I really want to do some more multimedia work. I’ve been practicing my multimedia skills at my church, volunteering as a camera (video) girl. Later this month, I’ll be able to collaborate with a few other people in my section on a multimedia piece. We will be traveling to a nearby university and to monitor the activities of a campus coffee house. We’ll take shifts throughout the day, and interview people in the morning, afternoon, night, and past midnight to find out what interesting things students are doing. This will most likely be an audio slideshow.

I would also like to improve my ability to come up with story ideas. So many of my ideas have already been written about in the last few years. I might need to think of new ways to approach some of the subjects we’ve covered before.

On another note, I can definitely tell that my writing has improved since I’ve been here. There have been fewer edits on my stories recently. Part of what helped this improvement process along was my own communication with my editor. I expressed to her my desire to see my writing improve through not only her edits in particular stories, but also through general comments about my writing style. She’s had time to pick up on some things that I didn’t even realize were part of my writing style. My editor has been really helpful in this.

I hope everyone else is doing well!

Ashley.M.M. - 06 April 2010 10:32 PM

I would also like to improve my ability to come up with story ideas. So many of my ideas have already been written about in the last few years. I might need to think of new ways to approach some of the subjects we’ve covered before.

Guys—this is a never-ending issue. How do you make what has already been written about a thousand times NEW and fresh? It would be great to get some ideas from people so you can all walk away with a kind of checklist. I wonder if it has to do with MINDSET as much as physical idea. I.e., here is a sentencing story/ a Fourth of July story/ a prom story, etc. What does the reporter have to DO/ FEEL/ SEE in order to make it fresh? As someone said, there are no new ideas under the sun. Only new approaches.

Thoughts? Has anyone done a “regular” story that turned out different because of their approach/ mindset/ way of thinking about?
(I will start trolling the waters today for examples to post… others, pls do too. )

I realize my response is ridiculously delayed! Forgive me!

One of my goals was to produce a multimedia piece, and I quickly learned why many small papers are lacking a multimedia presence. With a short staff it’s nearly impossible to keep up with dailies and try to produce multimedia elements. So I’ve failed in that regard. One of our fellow Chipsters, Diane has taken it upon herself to use her weekends to find an event to video tape and create short videos for, I applaud her ambitious efforts and think she took great initiative in accomplishing that goal. I however have spent my weekends trying to familiarize myself with the city.

Another goal was to come up with an original story idea, which I think is a bit of a challenge coming to a new city. Everything that I’ve found to be new and interesting has turned out to be yesterday’s news. I recently came up with my own idea, suggested it to one of my editors and now with only a few days left in my internship I fear it may never see the light of day. But I’m proud to have at least come up with an idea that was my very own, even if I don’t get to write it.

In a sense I feel like all of my stories have been “original” in some regard. I’ve had to cover my fair share of annual events and it’s been fun trying to give a fresh spin on an overdone story. One example is a story I had to write about allergy season. I called up the old standbys, the allergist, the national weather service official, but I also found that there was a hypnotist in town who treats allergies so I tossed him in the story.

Coming from a features writing background I’m happy that I’ve been able to work on stories with a quick deadline and as much as I dread them, I’m glad I’ve been able to cover crime and hard news. I’ve proven to myself that I can report and write something in a matter of hours and that I have skin thick enough to cover uncomfortable events.

Apologies here too—school has kept me super busy. 20 page JP due soon. And finals coming up ...

I’m also a multimedia editor for the daily/independent school paper so that’s been super hectic since our equipment (finally) came in a month ago. Doing a lot of cool projects for them. I wish I could write something though ...

In any event, the individual I was interviewing for my JP about immigration/deportation was granted relief so he won’t be deported a third time ...

Looks like you’re all doing well (thanks for the links to your articles on facebook). Keep up the good work guys!

Tasnim

p.s. This probably belongs in the Starbucks section, but the arizona bill is pretty intense! Good job on the video, Luis.

Has anyone else covered it?

newsie - 06 April 2010 10:32 PM

I would also like to improve my ability to come up with story ideas. So many of my ideas have already been written about in the last few years. I might need to think of new ways to approach some of the subjects we’ve covered before.

On another note, I can definitely tell that my writing has improved since I’ve been here.
quote]

Newsie et al—this is such an important ongoing issue—how to make OLD STORIES (ie, the run of the mill, the thing that has been done (hint—everythinng has!) NEW. Please let’s post some examples of the “old dog, new trick approaches. I will search as well. Has anyone done something that was “old” that they made “new?” (I go back to GREENBEANS!

(great that you feel your writing has improved...)

VeronicaCruz - 26 April 2010 09:07 PM

I realize my response is ridiculously delayed! Forgive me!

One of my goals was to produce a multimedia piece, and I quickly learned why many small papers are lacking a multimedia presence. With a short staff it’s nearly impossible to keep up with dailies and try to produce multimedia elements. So I’ve failed in that regard.

Veronica et al: You have not “failed’ in any regard. The realities of the news business are that time is precoius, staffing low, resources minimal, and time to teach and experiment at a premium. Please do not in any way count these as “your” failure.” there will be time to do multimedia ... do it when and where you can; sounds like you are.Anyone else feel the multimedia blackout?