Write Stuff

Shout Outs

We’ve seen more good leads lately, perhaps a testament to the additional time for live-in assignments. That’s encouraging because there’s no quicker way to lose a reader than with an uninspiring, uninteresting opening. A lead is a “flashlight shining down into the story,” says John McPhee, the extraordinary non-fiction writer and Princeton writing professor. As writing coach Jack Hart explains, some writers don’t realize that their lead should provide the organizing principle for everything that follows. Here’s a compelling lead from Matt Townsend that illuminates what is to come:

The first year and a half of Nat Dixon’s new life as a Methodist pastor unfolded just as he envisioned. Until a man with a badge knocked on his door.

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There isn’t a journalist alive who hasn’t panicked on deadline. The idea that you’re not alone may be small comfort to those who’ve experienced that sweaty-palms feeling. But Write Stuff is here to help, along with suggestions from your Craft professors. Here are our collective thoughts on how to calm down, stay focused and produce strong stuff on deadline:

• Be prepared. Use the time after you get an assignment to find out everything you can about the people or organizations you’ll be covering. Based on your advance reporting, imagine what the story’s headline might be before you even report on it. You’ll feel like you’ve got a head start even if the facts get in the way.

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