The blog of Media Writing students at Elon University
Eugene Allen
Laura Ziskin will work on the story, “A Butler Well Served by This Election”, with Sony. The deal closed on Wednesday, November 19, 12 days after Wil Haygood’s article was published on the front page of the Washington Post.
Most Americans might name a patriotic symbol of our country as a tangible representation of freedom for them, but the majority probably would not name something as simple as a bookstore. Uzbek journalist Vadim Isakov defied the norm and did just that.
Isakov grew up in Uzbekistan but is ethnically Russian. He came to America and went to school at UNC Chapel Hill where he graduated in 2002 with a degree in Journalism.
He returned to Uzbekistan and was offered a job at the prestigious Agence France-Presse. However, he had to be an accredited journalist first. Isakov explained that in Uzbekistan, in order to be accredited, a journalist must pledge his allegiance to the country and promise to not write any negative or degrading stories about the country or government. This presented problems for a real journalist, whose allegiance was first pledged to giving people the news, no matter what the circumstances. In Uzbekistan, the consequences for going against your country were imprisonment, violence, and rape.
“In Uzbekistan, if you haven’t been beaten up, you’re not a real journalist,” said Isakov. “Having a family is the worst thing you can do as a journalist,” he added.
When he returned to the United States five years later, Isakov said he truly felt freedom when he walked into a bookstore. He explained how exhilarating it was to be able to pick up a book and read both negative and positive feedback about a country or government without being in fear for his life.
Isakov now lives in America with his wife and family and teaches at Ithaca College. He said his experiences as an Uzbek journalist have helped him to appreciate his life here. He concluded, “The most you can do for your country is being outside the country.”
Adam Begley writes a wonderful travel article in this Sunday’s New York Times. Begley does not write the typical travel article in that he suggests the best places to eat, sleep, and sightsee. Instead, he incorporates a book, E. M. Forster’s A Room With a View, into his description of how to view the city. He parallels scenes in the book to places that people could go to, such as, the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte and the Pazzi Chapel.
The article is written in a playful and clever way. For example, “Forster reminds us that though Florence is a capital of art (is it ever!), it’s not just an overcrowded museum.” The author is almost trying to have a conversation with the reader, but also relay the information in a way so that the reader knows what he is saying is true.
The sentences are very descriptive and makes the reader feel like they are there looking at the object he is describing. “In and around the Basilica di Santa Croce is everything that’s delightful and appalling about Florence today. The neo-Gothic facade is still ugly, the long square in front of it dusty, bland, pigeon-infested and lousy with tourists. The interior is still cavernous, austere and chilly, impressive but somehow dispiriting.”
The fog index of this article is 13.6. Which means that the reader needs 13.6 years of schooling to understand this article. This does not surprise me because it is an article in the New York Times, which is known for writing articles like this.
On Monday, Vadim Isakov opened the eyes of many Elon students to the dangers and realities of other parts of the world. Isakov visted the McEwen School of Communications to speak to students about the luxury and power of freedom of speech.
Isakov is originally from Uzbekistan and emigrated to the United States for his collegiate studies. In 2002, he graduated from UNC and then went back to Uzbekistan to work as a reporter for Agence France-Presse, one of the world’s largest news organizations, upon being accredited by the government in 2004. As a reporter in Uzbekistan, Vadim persevered through some of the most challenging times in his life including disagreements with an oppressive government regime, struggling to find the right story or how to publish it, and protecting his family, or moreover the lives of others. If Isakov was not careful, the stories he wrote could cause problems for other people given the nature of the government of Uzbekistan. Sensing the dangers and problems within his nation, Isakov and his wife, Lumilla, returned to the United States. Isakov said of his move, “The worst thing to do as a journalist in Uzbekistan is to have a family or personal attachments.” Currently, Isakov is a professor teaching journalism classes at Ithaca College in upstate New York.
Listening to Isakov talk about his country and himself was very interesting. One striking point was how he identified himself. He commented that he was a citizen of Uzbekistan, but also an ethnic Russian from Uzbekistan. Isakov went on to credit the process of American citizenship and naturalization for not making such social divisions. “That’s what makes the Unite States so special, you can call yourself American without any confusion.”
Most interesting in my opinion was his response to one question I asked. I put in context for him that I visited Russia in 2007 and heard people there say freedom of speech was becoming more liberal. Then, I asked, “How do you feel freedom of speech and freedom of press have progressed in Uzbekistan since the fall of the Soviet Union?”
He responded, “I don’t think its progressed at all. I don’t think people of the former Soviet Union are comfortable with democracy.”
His response left me to contemplate, “Have the former provinces and territories of Russia become more heavily right-wing politically today than Russia itself?”
From him, I learned really how powerful the press is, and moreover how in another country it can decide who lives and who dies.
I found this story in the Washington Post and thought the writing was remarkable. The author writes about how naturalists and botanists have noticed that there are no acorns this year in Northern Virginia. People have also noticed that squirrels are looking skinnier then usual and are acting a little crazy, getting into trash and destroying pumpkins.
I thought the author’s writing was humorous and unique. I mean who would have ever thought about writing a story like this. I don’t think many people would’ve taken notice of the lack of acorns in the area had this story not been printed. The author, Brigid Schulte, uses repetition and humor to write a story that could have very well been extremely boring and unimportant.
Schulte’s humor can be seen in this quote, “Then calls started coming in about crazy squirrels. Starving, skinny squirrels eating garbage, inhaling bird feed, greedily demolishing pumpkins.”
I really enjoyed reading this story and I thought Schulte did a remarkable job of taking a topic that could be potentially colorless and unexciting and put a twist on it and found a great story. She writes about this silly topic of acorns with obvious passion and skill. Schulte includes a number of direct quotations from local botanists and naturalists. The thing I like best was her repetition of the word “nothing,” referring to the fact that no acorns have been found yet. For the full article click here.
For me personally, magazine writing does not get any better then in Rolling Stone Magazine. With the witty commentary and thourgho coverage of topics from music to world issues, writers for Rolling Stone Magazine are able to captur the readers imagination as well as inform.
A recent article that especially caught my attention as an outstanding article was in the November 2008 issue written by Jonathan Lethem. This article entitled “What Makes a Great Singer”, attempted to dissect the makings of rocks legendary singers such as R.E.M and Elvis Presley as well as modern day singers such as Christina Aguleria. It also looks to see if they bridge between singer and song can be created just by having a good voice.
This article particular caught my attention with the introduction by giving a detailed discription of where a “voice” comes from describing it as “summoned through the belly…”. Lethem then goes on to describe the overwhelming affect a singing voice can have on the words of the song and enabl a musician to connect with the meaning they intended.
He refers to the voices of great song writers like Gillian Welch and Bob Dylan saying it is their unique voices that connect us to the meanings of their songs. The article also continues to keep the reader involved by asking a series of hypathetical questions that keep the reader wondering the points that Lethem is attempting to make. Lethem also does a very good job in this article of making his opinion known without being over the top and pushy. He challenges his audience and keeps them involved in the progression of the article.
Lethems ablity to describe, with musical detail, what makes a good singer to him represents true Rolling Stone fashion. The article is witty, interesting, and musically intelectual, making it fun and easy to read.
I cannot believe the Patriots lost. After watching the game versus the Steelers, I angrily searched for an online article recapping the humiliation. This New York Times story, I realized after reading, was a great example of remarkable writing. It was crisp and clean with great flow. It was easy for me to understand, for even though I’m passionate about the Patriots I’m not always keen on football jargon.
The lede gave a brief history of the past few games the Patriots played and a huge shocker all in one sentence—Cassel had done so well there was talk of trading Brady. The second graph is literally a “reality” check with a description of the playing conditions, a condensed play-by-play of the game and a conclusion of what the game meant to each of the teams. The paragraph is full of compelling verbs like “swung” and “propelled” that keep the writing interesting and active.
The sentences are usually simple and even when complex or compound are well-written and easy to follow. Whenever a team is mentioned its conference standing or record is given. All of this information is seamlessly integrated. However, what’s most appealing about the story is how simple it is. There is nothing profound about the article, but it has all the information it needs to get the information and its implications across to the reader.
A journalist’s goal when writing is to capture the reader’s attention from the very beginning to ensure that they read the article all the way to the end. There are certain characteristics of an article that can capture a reader, but the most important thing is that the author uses extraordinary writing. Great writing along with humor is a journalist’s recipe for success.
An article recently featured in BBC News highlighted the difference in attitudes toward American and British teeth using brilliant writing along with rye hummor. The writing was simple with no complicated words for the reader to stumble over. The writer poked fun at both sides of the dental spectrum (Americans with all perfect smiles, while the British do little to fix their teeth). The author of this article had the facts straight which makes the reader feel that this is a credible source of information.
What I particularly liked about this article was its setup. The author organized her information which made it easy to follow. The author has compelling attributions that added to her focus of the article and made it that more enjoyable to read. Writing a good article is more than having a good story; we must research our material and present the information in a way that will capture the reader from the very beginning of the story.
In an article from Saturday’s edition of Miami Herald, Monica Hatcher uses emotional appeal and descriptive writing to paint the picture of an impoverished Latin American family living in the Miami area.
The lede sets the tone for Hatcher’s strategy right off the bat: ”The little apartment is crumbling. There are holes in the walls, pipes and wires exposed in the ceiling.”
Immediately the reader is given a vivid description of the setting giving the feeling of being there, all in two extremely short sentences. Crisp, clear writing at its best.
The next paragraph follows the lede with even more descriptive detail. “Stuttering fluorescent lights drape simple furnishings in a dreary pall — a large eating table, a cracked vinyl sofa, a set of drawers where a stereo sits. Four neatly made beds and a crib crowd two bedrooms.”
Two paragraphs already and not even a hint as to what the article is about, but it works to the story’s advantage. Highlighted by active verbs and intriguing adjectives, these first two paragraphs are the strongest and most creative aspects of the article that eventually attribute to the story’s emotional appeal.
The story goes on to tell the story of a 10 person family who are crammed in a two bedroom apartment, and how their wishes for Christmas are simply functioning appliances and to be together. It is a fresh reminder of the important things to remember during the holiday season amongst the flurry of materialistic advertisements that encompass the media around this time of year.
Ms. Hatcher has written a gem here, and her vivid, effective writing does justice to a truly emotional, well-written article.
Douglas Quenqua’s “Good Deeds: The Backlash” is filled with fantastic word choices, active verbs, insightful quotations and loads of information. All of this is delivered in a seamless package. The The New York Times article addresses a situation found in high schools across the nation where teens are more focused on completing required community service hours than they are doing good.
The story’s lead does not stand out on its own, but the combination of the first few paragraphs is interesting. Quenqua uses a series of paragraphs as snapshots for readers to imagine how eager high school students are to do a variety of community service. Then, he easily transitions to the problem.
Quenqua summarizes his point in a colorful way by saying, “BUT critics say that what started as a dignified attempt to instill a sense of noblesse oblige in high school students has devolved into an unseemly obsession with hours — not counting the ones that parents spend chauffeuring teenagers to soup kitchens. When students are in a panic over how to fill their hours, it leads to a debasement of community service that mistakes quantity for quality, these critics say. It also can prompt some teenagers to exaggerate their deeds, or, in the case of those from wealthier families, simply to buy their hours.”
Rather than just stating the facts, Quenqua uses interesting words (such as noblesse and debasement) and phrases (like “unseemly obsession with hours” and “community service that mistakes quantity for quality”). He also manages to throw humor into his writing by pointing out the time parents spending driving their children to service commitments.
The following is a quote used to add human touch to his story. The speaker is Lauren Swierczek, director of community service at Riverdale Country School.
“‘The result,’ she said, ‘is a renewed focus on the charitable experience itself. The message we want to teach our children is to live in a world bigger than their own…It’s provided real camaraderie within the school community’.”
Finally, Quenqua does an excellent job providing facts for his readers without sounding boring. He maintains an upbeat, conversational tone.
“At Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan (tuition: about $33,000), Patti Schackett, also in her second year as community service coordinator, has slashed the required number of hours to 60 from 100. As a parent there, she had already seen the system up close.”
This story is an example of remarkable writing because it takes an otherwise dull, fact-filled story and makes it come alive for readers. His end result is entertaining, informative and relatable.
