Help with Emotional Interviews

“What is the appropriate response when a subject breaks down or begins to cry during an interview?” That was the question reporter Bre Linstromberg asked in an e-mail the other day: I write features for a medium-sized newspaper in Central Illinois and I have found myself struggling in these situations. I’m not a very touchy-feely […]

Confident Writing

Tell-tale signs of strong versus insecure writing You know how, when you’re watching a speaker, you can tell if he or she is nervous? There are those tell-tale signs: trembling hands and voice, lack of eye contact, perspiration, twitches, lots of “ummms,” and a myriad of other idiosyncratic gestures and signs that show he or […]

Clearer, Stronger Writing

Reused with kind permission from the Poynter Institute. www.poynter.org 1. Tell the story in three words or OTPS, one theme per story, one thought per sentence. Select, don’t compress, what goes in your stories. The stuff that does not make it into the story will make great tags, follow ups, or additional material for Internet sites. […]