Do a reported story in AP style and the inverted pyramid.
2) Record the a) place ” Cleveland Ohio, virtual interview.
b) date 06/26/24
c) time 3:45 pm
of the interview in your Reporter’s Notebook — you can use your phone as your notebook if you do not have a paper notebook (every good reporter carries a paper notebook on every assignment, and more than one pen/pencil).
3) Record the interviewee’s name Lama
, gender female
, age 40,
occupation teacher and digital business owner,
4) Plan your piece before you do the interview; in short, have an idea of how you’re going to structure the piece (see below), and PLAN YOUR QUESTIONS before you do the interview.
5) Good questions do not elicit ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. So ask “why” “how” etc. questions that get fleshed out answers.
9) Always make your final question one that lets them talk about things you haven’t asked about: E.g. “What would you like to add that we haven’t yet talked about?”
Your reported story MUST be in the inverted pyramid and use AP Style (remember to go to www.apnews.com and copy how they do the headling, reporter’s name (you), date (story is published), dateline (place story is reported from with AP as the (fictional) source). The basic outline would be something like:
Lead
Body
Context paragraph explaining why this story is news
Introduce interviewee
First quote paragraph Follow up para from the quote introducing the next element
More body:
This is a really good chance to do some OBSERVING (see textbook NRW 9, “Writing to Be Read,” p.184). E.g. if your story is in your neighborhood, includes sights and sounds that bring the story to life! Use your senses: what do you SEE (or not see!), HEAR (or not hear!), SMELL (or not smell!) (avoid the taste/touch senses though!). SHOW your story, don’t just TELL it.
Second quote (original interviewee or 2nd interviewee)
More information, including any background not covered in the context paragraph
What’s next and conclusion
