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November 08, 2005
Lost and Found: Fast Approaching Features
Friday- the "big" day to flex our facts and angles
On What- Feature Article Progress Report
Sadly, my human-interest angle is hiding somewhere on campus and can not be found. The nasty, little sucker! I recall from Ch. 11, in The AP Guide to News Writing, the elements with decipher hard-news from soft-news:
"The hard news story marches briskly through the whats, whens and wheres, looking neither right nor left, packing in enough details to give readers a clear picture."Needless to say, my information stampedes over emotion leaving no survivors. I've emailed Carol Zola (in the hopes to get an interview with Dr. Boyle), the Admissions department, and a few alumnae- all whom will receive phone calls shortly. And, I've requested statistics from the Registrar's office- the only source to have contacted or provided me with info.
Although features are "less shackled to the moment than hard news stories" (according to Ch. 11), I don't feel this way. Instead, it's as if I'm covering an investigation.
The information exists and I believe I've grasped enough technique in my creative writing courses to compose a humorous, witty, or heart-felt piece. However, this frustration is really preventing me from enjoying the assignment.
Before the AP Guide provides the audience with Feature examples, it notes: "Read and Enjoy." In order to develop a feature story and transform hard-news to soft, we need to enjoy the topic we're researching and writing for audiences. Becuase of this essential quality, we have the possibility of convincing the reader that "Subject/Angle A" matters. If we the reporter can't believe in it, why should anyone else?
John Steinbeck once acknowledged that:
"The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true."
Although I'm leery about my statistics, it's all I have (for now). I'm going to trust it will lead me to something greater.
Posted by BethanyHutira at November 8, 2005 04:18 PM