What’s your story?

Jeanne Acton, ILPC Director

Columns• Personal experience – shows the reader a story with a clear,

definite message. • Can be humorous, serious, sad, light-hearted, life-changing

experience• Should connect to the reader at an emotional level• Filled with description and detail• Focuses on the writer’s personal experience – anecdotal

Columns• Personal opinion• Express opinion about an event or issue• Often connected to a news story in school, local or national news• Looks similar to an editorial

Sports columns• Commentary about an event, incident, an athlete, an issue• Strive to have sports columns about YOUR school

What is the purpose?• To help the reader think, act or see things in a new way• To entertain• To inform• To move

Column characteristics• Often, informal• Usually written in first person• Focused with a point• Reflects the personality of the writer• Expresses a viewpoint• About a subject that appeals to the reader

What makes a good column writer?

• Research (if issue-driven)• Interviewing (if issue-driven)• Knowing the subject• Finding a voice• Seeing the world in a different way• Creativity• Having something unique to say

From The Radical Write …• Voice is difficult to define, but it’s easy to recognize• The best writing is not soggy or bloated. It’s raw and lean and

real.• Raw and lean and real doesn’t mean it can’t be profound and

sophisticated.• Great writers use all of the tools are their disposal.

Why columns fail … the writer• isn’t ready to expose him/herself• has nothing to say• preaches to the audience• chit-chats with the audience• rambles• fills the column with facts, rather than stories and opinions• chooses a topic that doesn’t interest the audience• fails to edit and rewrite

Preachy ….

Nothing to say …

Preachy…

No real point …

Really??

Doesn’t expose themselves…

Still doesn’t have a point …

Preachy …

A real story …

Another powerful story …

A beautiful story …

One more …

A good sports column …

Another good one…

Another good sports column …

A solid personal opinion …

One more …