Flat interviews = boring stories (here’s how to fix that)
Think about the last story you wrote.
Did you get a bunch of high-fives?
Did you hear things like, “Wow – thanks! That was such a great story!”
Or did you hear absolutely nothing?
If so, that can be telling. Perhaps the problem lies in how you interview your sources.
1. Do you settle for your source’s first answer? Remember: The good stuff always lies beneath the surface. So keep probing. Challenge your source with “devil’s advocate” questions. The first answer is rarely your source’s best answer.
2. Are you getting canned quotes or “corporate speak”? Don’t stand for it! Instead, dig in. Try picking out one word from that stilted response and ask, “What did you mean by that?” Ask for evidence; can your source prove it? Or, ask your sources to share a story that illustrates the point they’re trying to make. Avoid writing quotes from corporate folks that you’ve read elsewhere a million times before (you know what I mean – things like, “We provide high-quality products and the best customer service.”) Ask more questions so you can write something different.
3. Are you ever short on examples or struggling with weak ones? You’ll be surprised what you get if you ask, “Can you give me another reason why this is the case?” or “How else have you used this technology in the field?” And then you can ask a couple times more: “What’s another reason this happens?” This prompts your sources to think harder about what you are asking and respond with more reasons or examples, giving you more meat on the bones. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 3 writing goofs of the week
I’m often asked, “What are the most common errors you see people make when they write?” Here are the top three I’ve run across repeatedly this week.
Goof 1: Writing “it’s” when you really mean “its” (or vice versa)
Remember: The word “it’s” is a contraction for “it is.” And the word “its” is the possessive form of “it.” It’s really that simple!
Wrong: Turn the box on it’s side. (You would not say “it is” side.)
Right: Turn the box on its side (possessive form of “it”).
Wrong: I saw the movie, and it’s similarity to the book was amazing. (You would not say “it is” similarity.)
Right: I saw the movie, and its similarity to the book was amazing (possessive form of “it”).
Wrong: Its the right way to do things.
Right: It’s the right way to do things (the contraction for “it is”).
Goof 2: Joining two sentences with a comma
First, recognize when you have two sentences. You can join sentences with a semicolon, colon or conjunction.
Wrong: I like this, it is simple and to the point. (This is a run-on sentence.)
Right: I like this; it is simple and to the point.
Wrong: I am sure of one thing, you can’t get blood from a turnip. (This is a run-on sentence.)
Right: I am sure of one thing: You can’t get blood from a turnip. Read the rest of this entry »
Nice and easy does it
Getting ready to interview a hesitant or harried source for your company’s or client’s next big story?
Job 1 is creating the right environment so your source feels comfortable sharing information. Here are 13 ways to create a good rapport with your story sources – right upfront.
1. Tell a source you simply want to have a conversation. People tend to find a “conversation” enjoyable but may find an “interview” intimidating. Choose your words carefully to put your source at ease. If you create trust early on, your source will share more – and you will get a richer story.
2. Never ask for an “endorsement” or a “testimonial quote.” Both requests are immediate turnoffs.
3. Recognize that some sources may hesitate because they’ve been burned by unskilled writers in the past. Assure them you are interested in and want to tell their story. Say things like, “We’re on the same side here.” Remind sources that you’re happy to share the story with them before sending it off to the printer.
4. Avoid conducting cold interviews. Instead, set up a mutually convenient interview time ahead of time. A scheduled time will make your source more committed, more prepared and more focused during the interview.
5. Check any preconceived notions at the door. Don’t make assumptions about sources based on their title or position. Be eager and ready to listen and absorb their unique story. Read the rest of this entry »
A quote is a terrible thing to twist
What were they thinking? Change a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most revered activists, writers and orators of the 20th century?
The deed is done, but many are calling for it to be undone. Here’s what chiselers of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington inscribed on the north face of the granite monument:
“I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.”
Huh?
Here’s what King – whose words are studied and respected by serious speechwriters everywhere – actually said in a sermon to a congregation of believers at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church on Feb. 4, 1968:
“If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”
Eloquent. Powerful. Thought provoking.
The one-sentence paraphrase not only falls flat – but worse – conveys the wrong message. Read the rest of this entry »
Some good advice for speechwriters
Want to write more speeches for existing clients? Want to get new speechwriting clients?
Serendipity is only part of it, according to Sandra Yin, a writer based in Maryland and a colleague of mine.
Sandra recently interviewed me and four other speechwriters from across the United States and in the United Kingdom about how to break into speechwriting.
She shares plenty of secrets and tips in this April 7 Washington Speechwriters Roundtable story.
No such thing as ‘just a meeting’
My colleague and I left a bit exuberant after a three-hour meeting with a client Friday. We’d wanted to map out an initial strategy for this year’s direct-mail campaign – and we left with that in hand and much more. It was one of those meetings where idea after idea came flowing, and each person’s next great thought fed directly off another person’s last great thought.
How did that happen?
Let me tell you – it didn’t just happen. Each of us had spent a bit of time thinking and preparing before walking into that 2:30 meeting.
It’s something we may not do often enough. In her new book Shut Up and Say Something, author Karen Friedman writes:
“ … there is no such thing as just a meeting. Every meeting poses opportunities for discussion, generating ideas, producing outcomes, and positioning yourself with your peers. Whether it’s a quick update or weekly requirement, the impression you make on peers can indirectly affect your raises and promotions. That means you have to prepare.”
Karen describes one senior executive’s approach to meetings. “Robert” told Karen he doesn’t want to show off, so he often remains quiet at meetings. If he feels he should have said something, he comes up with impromptu remarks (which usually aren’t very helpful). Since he deals with high-level information, he doesn’t feel the need to “dumb it down” for others at the meeting. He also admitted to Karen that speaking up in front of his boss, a savvy and impressive speaker, is intimidating. Read the rest of this entry »
Need to brush up on your AP style?
Check out Ask the Editor FAQ at AP Stylebook Online. It’s fast and easy to browse through the sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of AP style used in answers.
The online Associated Press Stylebook is the A-Z guide to usage, spelling and punctuation for writers and editors. Ask the Editor FAQ gives you the straight skinny on these and other burning questions that may be on your mind:
- When describing a time span, should I use a dash to separate the two times (e.g., “2–5 p.m.”) or the word “to”?
- When writing about area, which is correct for numbers less than 10 (“5 acres” or “five acres”)?
- What’s proper: “If money were no object” or “If money was no object”?
- When talking about groups, should I use “that” or “who”?
If you want to dig deeper, check out Ask the Editor questions from the past week. Here are a few questions from the current listing:
- Is it “micro-blog,” “micro blog” or “microblog”?
- Should I write “zero dollars” or “$0”?
- Which is correct? “None of the victims has/have been hurt.”
AP Stylebook Online subscribers, of course, get the real deal: Access to more than 9,000 questions in the Ask the Editor archive.
Conversing with sheer pleasure: The 12 C’s of great conversation
Being a journalist by training, I must say I’ve always admired broadcast journalist Barbara Walters.
She does so well what I attempt to do when interviewing clients for a story I’m writing. I try to make it a conversation – not an inquisition.
Barbara Walters has mastered the art of conversation with her interviews of the rich and famous.
She did it again last Friday night, in a 20/20 news magazine interview with President Barack Obama and the First Lady, taped right before Thanksgiving.
Did you see it?
Sure, it was an interview. But it was also a very comfortable, lively exchange among the three that moved delightfully from the Obama family’s Thanksgiving traditions, to their family life, to politics, to the First Lady’s goal of fighting obesity in America. It ended with Thanksgiving messages from the President and Mrs. Obama.
So what are the 12 C’s of great conversation?
How can you converse with sheer pleasure? Without pain? Without strain? Or the awfulness of awkwardness? Read the rest of this entry »
If we set the bar low, there we will go
“Where are tomorrow’s writers going to come from?” asks Natalie Canavor, business writer, author and presenter, in her November 2010 CW Bulletin article, “The Texting Tide: Is the writing on the wall for writing?” CW Bulletin is the e-newsletter supplement to Communication World magazine published by the International Association of Business Communicators.
Canavor says managers in every industry complain that “the schools aren’t teaching the kids to write, and they’re coming to us totally unequipped.”
She continues, “… as a department head at a major company recently told me, very few of his communication specialists can write, and those who can are burdened by the need to intensively edit the others’ work, or do it themselves.”
Scary stuff. Seems to me part of the problem lies with Read the rest of this entry »
Talk the Talk: Communication Secrets of Great Women Leaders Revealed
Do you “talk the talk”? After all, women who want to be recognized as great leaders must be inspired, passionate communicators and outstanding orators. But how do we get there?
There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Women today need only look to some of our greatest women leaders in recent history to learn how these remarkable women communicated – with real presence and power – to lead and achieve.
Don’t miss my “Talk the Talk” breakout session at “Growing as a Leader,” a professional development conference on leadership hosted by Women in Business Networking. WiBN’s third-annual event from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29 features 16 speakers, 50 exhibitors and fabulous networking opportunities at Sinclair Ponitz Center, Dayton, Ohio. For details and registration visit www.wibnleadership.com
