It's Always Worth it to Leave the Building

"Report with all your senses."

West Region Enterprise Editor, Jim Trotter, spoke to a group of high school journalism teachers on narrative writing.

Trotter focused his lecture on using your five senses to tell a story. It is important to make the reader see, hear, smell, taste and feel the story.

"If you have a recorder to get the story, you're going to miss a lot."

High school students forget to leave the classroom to capture the story. To really write a feature, you have to be there.

One of the strongest examples was a story from the Rocky Mountain News about the terrible outcome of asbestos on a community. The reporter spent the day walking through a cemetery with his sources. What made the story so powerful was the anecdotes the writer picked up and shared in the story.

"Put the reader on the ground with you," Trotter said.

Personal stories and conversations painted a picture of what this community went through. A reporter could never experience this from behind his or her desk.

Totter said anecdotes also help make a strong place to start a story. This information can really be valuable for new writers struggling with a lead. This is also a great way to hook your reader.

In one example, Trotter read the beginning of a story where two mountain climbers were on the verge of a fall. The class set on the edge of their seats wanting to know the outcome. The reporter grabbed our attention with the lead and held on with conversation that placed the reader in scene.

Great tips to make strong writers.

Kat Gurganus

Keller High School

Keller, Texas