"Journalists often write informational articles that have story elements and vice versa. Moreover, they have some tricks of the trade that help them do this. The first is the anecdote, a word often confused with 'antidote'-- unless we say that the anecdote is an antidote to the poison of dull writing."
According to Chapter 10 of ABNW, an anecdote is a tiny story within a story, "a short account of some interesting or humorous incident." What I understood from this section was that it was reiterating the fact that there are two different types of journalists. The ones who follow the assignments and those who make the story their own. If you include an anecdote within the assignment you are making the story your own. So for anyone out there that says Journalism is not creative-check it out! Anecdote's within a story luminates style and puts the dull articles to sleep! Anecdotes are the gold coins you are in search of while interviewing...that extra something special that will make your story shine.
An example would probably be any background or history reporters/we found while interviewing the students at the Safe Streets, Safer Students meeting. But I guess there is a catch-you have to be careful what information you are writing and how you publish it, because you may be giving information that will alter the hearings.
Comments (6)
Very interesting! I never put it together that you migh be able to be creative by using an anecdote. I found information during that safe streets safer students that only a few others got, but I couldn't publish it. Still I know what you mean by an itresting peice of information or history that has a twist. I'd rather read something like that any day rather than something more dull.
Posted by Carrie Kraszewski | November 27, 2007 7:43 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 19:43
You picked a great quote out of the readings. Nessa said something along the same lines in her blog and you're both entirely right that there are 2 very different types of journalists. There are those writers who only get the facts, but don't include anything that would otherwise grab the reader's attention. Then, there're the writers who make the story their own and do their best by it. I think we should strive to be the latter as opposed to the dull, methodical former!
Posted by Maddie Gillespie | November 27, 2007 8:45 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 20:45
While I love the idea of an ancedote (anything to get the creative part in), I'm always too afraid to use them! I don't think I could employ one effectively or correctly. I especially would be causious of the point your brought up- what if something affected a hearing or changed the outcome of a story? Perhaps ancedotes are best left to feature type stories?
Posted by Nessa | November 27, 2007 10:19 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 22:19
Nessa,
I agree...the thing is I get so nervous with all that information we are given! I never know what stuff I should use! yikes! I think ancedotes would be much better in a feature story. Also I am not sure I would know how to properly use them either, and would be afraid of making some HUGE mistake if I did it incorrectly.
Posted by Bethany Merryman | November 28, 2007 10:22 AM
Posted on November 28, 2007 10:22
I wrote about the same thing! These anecdotes break up the monotonous hard facts in writing. They are the things that journalists fall back on when in dire need of hooked readers.
And that's what a journalist needs to do. They need to hook their readers in and keep them there. Anyway possible. By using anecdotes, they are able to do this.
Posted by Corey Struss | November 28, 2007 10:36 AM
Posted on November 28, 2007 10:36
That's a great representation of an important lesson. Just as there are no small parts, only small actors, there don't have to be dull stories.
Okay, the three-page crime reports that draw on police reports are very formulaic, but if you learn how to toss them off quickly then you are serving the public without taking much time or energy away from the investigative or expressive writing that we in this class have been responding to so much in the past few weeks.
Posted by Dennis G. Jerz | November 28, 2007 6:27 PM
Posted on November 28, 2007 18:27