8 Steps To Revising Your Writing: Vicki Krueger

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8 steps to revising your writing
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By Vicki Krueger June 22, 2016

To revise your writing, you need to see it through the eyes of a reader a stranger to
the text instead of the creator. Here's one recipe for revising your work.
Print out your draft. The first step in achieving distance is to change the
medium. You may see words on a page differently than those on a computer
screen.
Listen to the entire story. Either read it aloud to yourself or ask someone to read
it to you. During the reading, sit on your hands and, if someone is reading to
you, keep your mouth shut. This means you can't write on the draft or comment
or respond just listen.
Read the draft a second time aloud, or silently to yourself, but now every time
something strikes you a criticism, a question, a change make a mark to
record your response to something in your story. It may be something you like,
something that confuses you, something you'd change or delete, or move.
Number every mark you've made.
Next to each number write down why you flagged that word or passage either
on the draft or in a separate file. For example, you might jot down, "cut this,"
"check this with source," "move this up," "kicker?"
Count up the number of changes and estimate how long each will take you to
revise.
Start with the first one if it's a misspelled word, change it on the screen, hit
save and move on cutting, pasting, moving up or down, inserting, as quickly
as possible. If you get bogged down on one, just skip over it and move on to the
next. You may not be able to solve every problem in this revision. But you may
get them all the next time around.
Once you have gone through the entire list and made changes, save the revision
as a new file, hit print, and repeat until you are satisfied, or you have to give up
this story to your editor.
Photo by Ronnie Scotch Finger via Flickr.
How to develop story ideas in science and

environmental reporting
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As you cover environmental and climate change issues remember: Nothing in science
is ever fully definitive. There is still much to be discovered and understood. And keep
in mind that covering policy is a little different from covering science.
Here are some ways to explore your coverage:
Look for divisiveness: Policy experts will disagree on major policy questions, which
makes it a fruitful area for developing story ideas. And on a local level, climate policy
is likely to involve efforts to adapt to emerging climate changes.
All things aren't equal: Stories should reflect where the balance of scientific opinion
resides. If the vast majority of climate scientists believe, based on credible evidence,
that continued emissions of greenhouse gases will ultimately lead to significant risks,
reporters do not have to present a false balance by always finding an expert who can
argue otherwise.
You're just the messenger with a mirror: Science may inform policy, but it
doesn't dictate which policies are correct. That's because policy-making involves
people with different values. Hold a journalistic mirror up to conversation. You can
provide the full range of information and analysis people need to make up their minds
and develop policies.
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How to end your story in a way that lingers

in your viewers heart
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Dont spend all of your energy on the first half of your story only to allow the piece to
run out of gas. What you show and say at the end are often what lingers in the
viewers heart. Good endings resolve the main theme of the story.
Negative Action Shot. Photojournalist friend Don Cadorette likes to have the subject
walking away from the camera. If he used a zoom, he zoomed out at the close. He
wanted the viewer to physically detach from the story.
Ending with a Sound Bite. It is dangerous to close a story on a one-line outcue or a
soundbite, because it can send an editorial tone that you didnt intend. It is usually
better to end a story with narration.
Ending a Live Report. Spin the story forward by telling the viewer what is likely
to happen next. If the city council just raised taxes, then the live stand-up story close
might be when the tax increase takes effect, how to contact your council member,
whether there is another vote, or how to appeal your higher tax bill.
Closing the Circle. The last sentence should contain only one main thought that
summarizes the whole story. It should directly connect to the three-word focus
statement you write for your story.
Untidy Endings. Sometimes stories do not resolve themselves. Resist the temptation
to make your ending something it isnt.
The best story close is like a good ending to a meaningful phone call. Dont repeat
what you already said. Like a good phone conversation, leave viewers with the
knowledge and the feeling that you intended at the beginning.
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Your quest for a lead starts with these

questions about your story
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To write an effective lead, you have to know--first and foremost--what the story is
about. Start with the five W's and an H:
What happened?
Who did it happen to?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
Why did it happen?
How did it happen?
With that knowledge you can logically zero in on the two basic focusing questions:
What the news?
What is this story about?
Here are some suggestions as you start writing.
Try to put yourself in the role of your audience. What is the most important
information they need to know? Why does this news matter?
Interview your best source: yourself. Youve reported the story. You are the best
authority you have.
Dont spend all your time on a lead. You can revise it later.
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7 tips for conducting better interviews with

scientists
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By Vicki Krueger May 23, 2016

Sources make or break stories. Reliable sources can become journalists' guides
into complicated stories and help them build credibility among subject matter experts.
Here are some guidelines to conducting interviews with scientists that can help you
gather accurate information and cultivate relationships with reliable sources.
Preparation is essential: Science interviews shouldn't be cold calls. Take 15
minutes before the interview to review your sources' backgrounds and potential
biases. Know enough about your topic to ask a few key questions, even if one
of those questions is: How would you explain this topic to a sixth-grader?
Clearly explain the interview process and your story to your sources. Scientists
may be brilliant, but they also may not know how different journalism is from
their own world of publications, which are months, if not years, in the making.
Confirm that your sources understand what "on the record" and "off the record"
mean. Make sure they understand that they are talking with you on the record.
If they have explicit concerns about speaking on the record, address those
concerns up front so you are cleared to use all the information they provide.
Pick a good location. Find a place where there is minimal distraction and high
comfort for your sources. Your studio may not be convenient for them and may
make them nervous. Visit their labs or offices instead.
Repeat answers or summarize them to your sources to confirm that you
accurately understand what your sources are saying, what it means and why it
matters to your audience.
Ask pointed questions: "Can you put this in perspective for my audience
members?" or "How will this finding/story/research impact their lives?"
Listen with an open mind and without being stuck in your own agenda.
Respond to what the source says in response to your questions; don't just forge
ahead into new and different topics because you are sticking to your list of
questions. Your sources know when you genuinely listen and want to learn.

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