Improve Writing Without Spending A Lot Of Money
A top U.S. writing coach says there are several ways to improve writing and reporting at newspapers--many without spending a lot of money.
Paula LaRocque, recentlyretired assistant managing editor and writing coach at the Dallas Morning News, told about 25 delegates at the 48th Canadian Managing Editors Conference in Toronto in 1996 that "it takes work to write better" and that includes providing the means to help staff help themselves.
She cautioned, however, that editors are just wasting their time if they try to tackle all the problem writers on staff; instead, focus on helping the good writers become better, she said. "As long as we spend time making bad stories better, we lose a chance to make good stories great," she said.Things to do that won't cost much:
- Establish an in-house writing program that takes advantage of the skills that people have; e.g., people with good lead writing or narrative techniques can be asked to lead sessions with other members of staff who want to learn.
- Pair someone who wants to learn a skill with someone who is good at it.
- Establish a newsletter, but make sure that it's done right. More than anything else, it provides feedback.
- In-house contests involving rotating panels of three judges chosen from the staff. "They are pleased to do be asked," she said. Make sure that the management makes a big fuss over the winners.
- Prizes are higher for the short feature category to encourage people to write shorter pieces.
- Use the bulletin board effectively to display good pieces and update it frequently.
- Keep the momentum up by establishing a rotating monitoring panel to ensure that the existing programs continue. "Either we are going to have a writing program or we're not," she said.
- When you send someone away, it's worth it to have the person do a formal report for everyone. The person returning learns because she or he has to report; the staff learns something as a result. This doubles a newspaper's investment.
- Cross-training techniques, such as having a desker do some reporting, or vice-versa. "People don't need a rest, they need variety," she said.
- Hire a writing coach but make sure that person's job is properly defined. Don't give it to someone who already has a full-time job in the newsroom.
- Bring people into the newsroom for a period of time.
- Set up small group retreats of one or two days.