Writing for New Media

10 years out, Nora Paul looks at the promises of online news and finds few of them fulfilled. She concludes, "New methods for crafting and delivering compelling news stories online are still a long way from being fully developed." A very interesting read from Online Journalism Review.

While this comes from an article on shooting video for the Web, the tips here are very good if you want to get interesting audio clips for your assignment:

"Ask questions that require a sentence to answer. Avoid questions that can be answered yes or no. Avoid two-part questions – most people will forget the first and only answer the second part. If you need background information, start with that to get interview subjects relaxed with you and the equipment. Then, ask questions that evoke feelings, emotions and opinions. We need to understand why this story matters to people. Use narration to tell the facts of the story.

"Probably the biggest interviewing tip I can give you is something that’s harder than it seems: Stop Talking. Don’t say uh-huh, or yeah, or anything encouraging. Use non-verbal feedback – lean forward, nod, but don’t talk! Let people complete their sentences. And don’t be afraid of silence. You don’t need to jump in to fill space. People often say the most revealing things when they think you’re waiting for them to finish."

You'll also find loads of useful information in this 21-page PDF document called "Sound in the Story."

Wondering what I'll be considering when I grade your first hypertext assignment? Here are the guidelines:

1) Does the entire package have a clear theme that is stated clearly in the trunk? This needs to be more than just a topic statement (e.g., "Lint is interesting"). Do all branches support the theme?
2) Is the package based on original reporting?
3) Have you clearly provided the source for all information that you did not uncover through your own interviews? If not, the work is plagiarized.
4) Does the structure of the package make sense?
5) Are there at least two branches?
6) Does the total word count equal at least 1,500 words? If the answer to this or question 3 is "No," you will receive a zero on the assignment.
7) Have the pieces been edited carefully for grammar, spelling and AP style?
8) Do the pieces include a range of diverse sources?
9) Are quotes used effectively?
10) Is it easy to navigate the package? Does every page link to every other page?
11) Above all, does your assignment reflect good storytelling? Is it interesting and interestingly written?

Do all that, and you have an A!