Writing to inform

It’s easy to feel time slipping by when I’m doing something I love. Although time has passed quickly during my reporting internship at the St. Cloud Times, specific interviews, faces, photos, stories, sentences and words from each of my experiences remain clear in my mind. I remember the interview in which I trudged through shoulder-high prairie grass to watch a man hang his beloved American flag. I think about how one lead I rewrote changed the entire tone of a story for the better. I recall how a photo of a man shining his restored car played perfectly with the words beside it. But most of all, I remember how these experiences imprinted themselves on my memory, so I can take them with me forever.

By assuming the role of a learner myself, I can visualize before I start a story what readers most need to know about an issue. When I’m reporting, I try to think about what’s most complicated or confusing about the topic, and then clearly address that in my story. This skill is something I’ve been learning from reporters and editors in the newsroom. I remember several instances when the facts were swimming around in my head but, after talking with someone else, I could prioritize and organize words and ideas to benefit readers. Writing articles that help or inform at least one person is my goal with every story. It’s when I have accomplished that goal that I can remember so clearly the fine details of each experience.

-- Michelle Ma, Northwestern University, St. Cloud (Minn.) Times