For our final project, we're really looking to tell a "newsy" news story. What defines a real piece of news? Well, one thing we're always looking for is...tension. Are there two (or more) sides to this story...and are they at odds? What are the main issues causing the tension?
Another way to tell a news story is to find a trend. Is something happening in your life, town, community or world, that's part of a larger trend? How is this trend really affecting people?
Within these types of stories, we want to hear some of the following things:
1. The voice of a "real person" - meant to illustrate a trend or idea
2. The voice of a "stakeholder" - an official person whose work affects us all
3. The voice of an "expert" - meant to uncover truths, point to trends, debunk myths
Not all stories will have all of these characters - but a rich mix of the three gives us different insights into the story. Here's a recent story by WNPR's Diane Orson that has a lot of tension...it's about Yale's battle for ancient artifacts with the government of Peru.
Before you start writing a story like this, take a look at a few of these ideas about how to get started, and construct a good story. One is from reporter Melanie Peeples. She talks about "story visioning."
Another is taken from a manifesto by reporter Nancy Updike. She has some unusual methods, but they might help you break through to get a good idea.
