Bravo to the LAT for the time & $ spent on one helluva story...

Wright Thompson, eat your 5,000 word heart out!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ana6-2009apr06,0,3469956,full.story

 

A salesman in our office has this condition, also on the left side of his face, and he's one of the best people you'll ever meet. He's a successful salesman, too. He's been in our office for 30 years, I think.

I am in an e-mail string with a few people, including my ex-boss, and one of the guys who didn't know Lou made a remark about his face. This group of guys who mercilessly go after each other on ANY subject stopped him short. Lou is off-limits, because of the kind of person he is.

 

I'm really going to go ballistic on the next illiterate motherfucker who uses "helluva."
What the fuck language are you people writing?
Hell of a ... it ain't that difficlut to write in English.

 

Apparently difficult is difficlut to write.

 

"Helluva" story, one helluva flaw:

I know of the condition. I see the photo of Ana.
Can't tell how old she is. I wanna know how old she is for various reasons.

With stories like this, and any profile, you have got to get the person's age up near the top. Way up high. News stories, too. It's a fundamental rule of journalism, and it is forgotten or ignored way too often.

I kept skimming up and down until, finally, way down near the end we find out that Ana turned 28 in October. Way too far to go for a relevant fact.

But a "hell of a" writing job nonetheless. A fine job of reporting and writing.

 

I thought that was weird too, especially at the part about Ana sampling everyone's rum and cokes at her party. The story, to that point, had implied that she was much younger than she was.

That small, nitpicky gripe aside, that was a fantastic story.

 

In fairness - the story linked is "part two."

 

Get the hell out of here with your context.

 

Oops. Fail has tackled me for a loss tonight.

First story had it in the 12th graf, I think, when she was 24.

Still like it a little higher, but that's good enough for me.

The writing and storytelling is just outstanding.

 

I don't know what a helluva sports editor does any more, but an employed sports editor these days does exactly what his bosses wants, doesn't push back and swings the axe without hesitation.