Here's the link to my prom piece if anyone is interested in reading it. It ran today with a really nice spread. I was quite happy with the photos and everything. I'd love any feedback, if you are willing! Thanks!
http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo/stories/index.ssf?/base/features-1/117932898814790.xml&coll=7
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Ah the joys of journalism
So my weekend was crazy. I had a group of young ladies all lined up as sources for that prom piece. They had agreed to allow me to travel with them to prom, to interview them extensively, all that jazz that's supposed to happen. But then they backed out. At the last minute. I got phone calls from their parents. A nightmare, basically.
So, after a little panic, I found another group of sources. My story took off in a completly different direction. In journalism, as in life, I suppose, you have to stay flexible. But its not easy working on other people's schedules. Still, I spent nearly 12 hours with this nwe group of girls, from their hair appointments, to dinner, to prom, to the after party. Then I wrote the story because the deadline was the next day. My best, most polished piece of writing? Definitely not. A fun time and a great exercise in the joys of journalism. You betcha.
So, after a little panic, I found another group of sources. My story took off in a completly different direction. In journalism, as in life, I suppose, you have to stay flexible. But its not easy working on other people's schedules. Still, I spent nearly 12 hours with this nwe group of girls, from their hair appointments, to dinner, to prom, to the after party. Then I wrote the story because the deadline was the next day. My best, most polished piece of writing? Definitely not. A fun time and a great exercise in the joys of journalism. You betcha.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Scared for the future? Read this...
Here's the feature I found for this week.
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/05/gone.html
Its from Mother Jones, a news magazine that I read and really enjoy because they give the time and space to issue that matter to me. I can't say its without fault; moments in the piece do drag some. But if we are going for messy and complicated, this is certainly the topic for that. The piece exposes many scientist's views that we are on the verge of another mass extinction, one that could ultimately rub out humans as well.
I really liked the opening of this piece and the way that the dead hiker is brought up again later as a reminder of the human implications of mass extinctions. I kind of wish, however, that the author had removed herself from the writing process, or involved herself more. I truly believe that space could have been made in the piece for heightened emotion and complication. We do not get a great sense of how the author reacts to the stunning statistics she is learning. I would have appreciated more of the human element. I liked seeing the scientists, like Levin. I liked feeling for the animals. Sometimes, the writing "talked" to much; it was too technical.
I was impressed, though with Whitty's craft in some areas. Particularly, I liked her propensity for listing. Nerdy, I know, but I often deploy lists in my own writing and I thought she used them to good effect. Also, pay attention to the way she moves in and out, pans and zooms that camera lens--I really liked that.
Lastly, I wanted to bring up an issue of format. I first read this piece in the print form of the magazine. It had really engaging visuals attached as well as pull out pieces of information that kept me more interested. The online version lost a little of that for me, which I think is a shame.
Overall, I posted this piece because of its complexity of subject matter. I admire a writer who can handle that type of immersion, the multitudes of sources, the grandiosity of topic. Its kind of what I want to do someday.
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/05/gone.html
Its from Mother Jones, a news magazine that I read and really enjoy because they give the time and space to issue that matter to me. I can't say its without fault; moments in the piece do drag some. But if we are going for messy and complicated, this is certainly the topic for that. The piece exposes many scientist's views that we are on the verge of another mass extinction, one that could ultimately rub out humans as well.
I really liked the opening of this piece and the way that the dead hiker is brought up again later as a reminder of the human implications of mass extinctions. I kind of wish, however, that the author had removed herself from the writing process, or involved herself more. I truly believe that space could have been made in the piece for heightened emotion and complication. We do not get a great sense of how the author reacts to the stunning statistics she is learning. I would have appreciated more of the human element. I liked seeing the scientists, like Levin. I liked feeling for the animals. Sometimes, the writing "talked" to much; it was too technical.
I was impressed, though with Whitty's craft in some areas. Particularly, I liked her propensity for listing. Nerdy, I know, but I often deploy lists in my own writing and I thought she used them to good effect. Also, pay attention to the way she moves in and out, pans and zooms that camera lens--I really liked that.
Lastly, I wanted to bring up an issue of format. I first read this piece in the print form of the magazine. It had really engaging visuals attached as well as pull out pieces of information that kept me more interested. The online version lost a little of that for me, which I think is a shame.
Overall, I posted this piece because of its complexity of subject matter. I admire a writer who can handle that type of immersion, the multitudes of sources, the grandiosity of topic. Its kind of what I want to do someday.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Reportage, reportage, reportage
If the slogan for real estate is "Location, Location, Location," I think that the similiar one for journalism would be "Reportage, reportage, reportage." I have been finding in my short journalism career just how important this step of the process actually is the outcome of the piece. For one thing, I love doing it. I could hang out with people all day and I think I have a natural curiousity for things that leads me to keep asking questions, to dig a little deeper, to see what I can find out. But I do enjoy just kicking around too, be a fly on the wall, observing. I know that I could get better at it. For example, I did some reportage for my prom piece last Friday. I went over to one of my source's grandmother's house where he and his buddies were putting up a tent. The entire group going to prom would eat under the tent the next day and I thought it was rather comical to see the boys pitch this giant cumbersome thing after it had already gone dark. It was neat to talk to them as they worked and I believe it helped them relax. But even still, when I looked back at my notebook, I realized I hadn't written down many of my own sensory observations. I didn't have enough dialogue of the boys amongst themselves. I hadn't caught the one dude's nickname. I want to get better at things like that.
I know that I have improved in some elements. I am better now at determining when I have enough information. Though I generally want more than enough, to have to sift through pages and pages rather than feel lost without something, I also understand that I am on deadline and I am only paid so much. I am now able to determine who else I need to talk to, what other information is missing to round out my story. Know I have that skill is rather gratifying.
Overall, though I just love reporting! Sometimes I wish I could just do that element and then hand my notes to someone else and have them write. I guess that's because that part is such hard work! Reporting feels more like playing.
I know that I have improved in some elements. I am better now at determining when I have enough information. Though I generally want more than enough, to have to sift through pages and pages rather than feel lost without something, I also understand that I am on deadline and I am only paid so much. I am now able to determine who else I need to talk to, what other information is missing to round out my story. Know I have that skill is rather gratifying.
Overall, though I just love reporting! Sometimes I wish I could just do that element and then hand my notes to someone else and have them write. I guess that's because that part is such hard work! Reporting feels more like playing.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Profile(ish)
A caveat:
This piece is no where near finished; I still have to do a ton more reportage, including GO to prom! But I have posted some of the preliminary writing below. I think the piece starts to take shape around the idea that high schoolers have too much on their plates for dating and that these young women are willing to wait until college to start seriously looking for that sort of thing. I am looking forward to spending more time with these girls and the group of guys that I have talked to also to get narrative elements involved, because right now, I have only conducted phone interviews.
Skyler Smith searched forever to find the perfect prom dress. She poked through local boutiques and hunted through major department stores. She had certain qualifications—it had to be well-fitting and flattering, complimentary, but not over-the-top. Finally though, with prom only days away, she settled, selecting a form-fitting number with dark blue silk and layered black lace.
“It’s kind of like a cocktail dress, it its still totally appropriate for prom,” the 18 year old Loy Norrix high school senior said.
Smith definitely doesn’t have much time. She starred in the last two leading roles for the Norrix high theater department and also sings in the choir, all while maintaining high marks and a part-time job.
This year, she’ll attend prom unescorted, opting instead to go with a group of her best girlfriends. She may have had to settle when it comes to dresses, but with boys, there’s no negotiations.
She’s never had a boyfriend and it doesn’t bother her.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been asked out on dates before,” Smith said. “I’ve just never been pleased with any of them. I’m waiting until college. I do not want to take anything that seriously in high school.”
And besides, Smith knows she’ll have a great time, just hanging out with her friends at this year’s Japanese themed prom. She’s excited to be going with them, the group of young women she’s been close to since kindergarten, but got even closer to in fourth grade. Though they attended different middle schools, reconvening in high school helped this successful group grow together again.
“We’re just going to dance and dance and I know it’ll be a blast,” Skyler’s friend, Hallie Tripp said over the phone. “It’s kind of like our last chance before we all head out.” Tripp recently submitted her deposit at Michigan State University. Smith will be attending Western next fall, hoping to major in music.
Tripp, like her friends, stays overly occupied. She’s on the swim team and is an active member of the national honor society. She’s never had a boyfriend either.
“Its hard to donate a lot of time to somebody if you have a lot of other things going on.”
Still, Tripp admits to feeling prom-time anxieties. “I know a lot of people who are like, you should go with a date. But I say, you should just go and have a good time.”
But even though she’ll still go out to dinner and the dance with her friends, Tripp might have a date. He’s a freshman at Western and they used to swim together (she didn’t want to disclose his name, fearing he’d be embarrassed). She used to like him a lot last year, but then things got a little weird and now they are just friends. So she asked him to go with her and he said he needed some time to think about it.
Melody Stieve, a biology teacher and senior class advisor at Kalamazoo Central High School says Tripp’s dilemma isn’t all that uncommon.
“I’d say most of the seniors go with a ‘date,’ but someone who isn’t necessarily their boyfriend of girlfriend,” Stieve said. “It’s certainly a small minority that go without dates all together and just go with groups of friends.”
Stieve commented on shifts in the dating climate of high schoolers. “I think there are more groups of boy-girl friends then there used to be, even in my time,” Stieve said. “Most of these girls already have a relationship with guys and they don’t feel they need a closer one.”
-Move onto the guys perspective
-Paint pictures of the girls getting ready
This piece is no where near finished; I still have to do a ton more reportage, including GO to prom! But I have posted some of the preliminary writing below. I think the piece starts to take shape around the idea that high schoolers have too much on their plates for dating and that these young women are willing to wait until college to start seriously looking for that sort of thing. I am looking forward to spending more time with these girls and the group of guys that I have talked to also to get narrative elements involved, because right now, I have only conducted phone interviews.
Skyler Smith searched forever to find the perfect prom dress. She poked through local boutiques and hunted through major department stores. She had certain qualifications—it had to be well-fitting and flattering, complimentary, but not over-the-top. Finally though, with prom only days away, she settled, selecting a form-fitting number with dark blue silk and layered black lace.
“It’s kind of like a cocktail dress, it its still totally appropriate for prom,” the 18 year old Loy Norrix high school senior said.
Smith definitely doesn’t have much time. She starred in the last two leading roles for the Norrix high theater department and also sings in the choir, all while maintaining high marks and a part-time job.
This year, she’ll attend prom unescorted, opting instead to go with a group of her best girlfriends. She may have had to settle when it comes to dresses, but with boys, there’s no negotiations.
She’s never had a boyfriend and it doesn’t bother her.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been asked out on dates before,” Smith said. “I’ve just never been pleased with any of them. I’m waiting until college. I do not want to take anything that seriously in high school.”
And besides, Smith knows she’ll have a great time, just hanging out with her friends at this year’s Japanese themed prom. She’s excited to be going with them, the group of young women she’s been close to since kindergarten, but got even closer to in fourth grade. Though they attended different middle schools, reconvening in high school helped this successful group grow together again.
“We’re just going to dance and dance and I know it’ll be a blast,” Skyler’s friend, Hallie Tripp said over the phone. “It’s kind of like our last chance before we all head out.” Tripp recently submitted her deposit at Michigan State University. Smith will be attending Western next fall, hoping to major in music.
Tripp, like her friends, stays overly occupied. She’s on the swim team and is an active member of the national honor society. She’s never had a boyfriend either.
“Its hard to donate a lot of time to somebody if you have a lot of other things going on.”
Still, Tripp admits to feeling prom-time anxieties. “I know a lot of people who are like, you should go with a date. But I say, you should just go and have a good time.”
But even though she’ll still go out to dinner and the dance with her friends, Tripp might have a date. He’s a freshman at Western and they used to swim together (she didn’t want to disclose his name, fearing he’d be embarrassed). She used to like him a lot last year, but then things got a little weird and now they are just friends. So she asked him to go with her and he said he needed some time to think about it.
Melody Stieve, a biology teacher and senior class advisor at Kalamazoo Central High School says Tripp’s dilemma isn’t all that uncommon.
“I’d say most of the seniors go with a ‘date,’ but someone who isn’t necessarily their boyfriend of girlfriend,” Stieve said. “It’s certainly a small minority that go without dates all together and just go with groups of friends.”
Stieve commented on shifts in the dating climate of high schoolers. “I think there are more groups of boy-girl friends then there used to be, even in my time,” Stieve said. “Most of these girls already have a relationship with guys and they don’t feel they need a closer one.”
-Move onto the guys perspective
-Paint pictures of the girls getting ready
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