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Feeling good about a story as you're writing it--or has your writing matured?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by hockeybeat, Apr 24, 2007.

  1. hockeybeat

    hockeybeat Guest

    I guess this is a spinoff of the "Everything I write is terrible" thread. Are there times when you're writing a story that you know it's going to be good? Is it something you can feel physically or emotionally? What goes through your minds as you're writing the good piece?

    Generally, I'm my own worst critic when it comes to writing. But recently I've written a couple pieces and as I've been writing them, I felt that they would be really good. I had strong ledes and the words flew from there. When I finished, I read and re-read what I wrote and still felt good about it.
     
  2. Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    For me it's about an even split between what I feel is good (both when I write it and when I re-read it) and what other people tell me they liked and I didn't think was special.
    Probably the best story I've written I knew from the start would be pretty good (great quotes, great anecdotes, a worthy subject) before I even got back into the office. It started well and really just flew from there.
    I heard a lot of compliments on it and I wasn't surprised.
     
  3. Walter Burns

    Walter Burns Member

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    I've found that the stories that I can write easily are the good ones.
    The ones that are like shitting golf balls, well, let's just say that I don't put those in the clip file.
     
  4. Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    One time I cried while listening to my tape recorder after interviewing a high school kid who had both his parents die in a 15-month span. I knew I had enough quotes and anecdotes to make my readers feel what this kid went through, and sense bringing out emotion in the readers is a big goal, I knew I had a good story.
     
  5. amraeder

    amraeder Well-Known Member

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    Everything I touch is gold, so I don't have to worry about it.
    Makes going to the bathroom tough, though.
     
  6. Dan Rydell

    Dan Rydell Guest

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    hey, when i'm on deadline, and i'm really cookin' it, i can always tell. i know it, and i can feel it, and it pumps me up even more.

    you're in the zone, just like the guys you cover. and you should trust your instincts when you're in the zone.

    next day, i can always tell that i was in the zone.

    conversely, when you're really struggling, especially at deadline, you know it's not your best stuff. so just plug away hard and check your stuff with the desk for a writethru if you can.

    but if you're in the zone, you should ride it hard, see where it takes you. chad johnson ain't the only one who knows when he scores...........
     
  7. Dan Rydell

    Dan Rydell Guest

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    and tell the desk also. tell 'em you got some hot stuff coming through on deadline, so might wanna clear a little more space out.

    better back it up with your writing, though. if you fail twice, you're just crying wolf.
     
  8. gingerbread

    gingerbread Well-Known Member

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    HB,
    I can tell from your recent pieces you've been feelin' it. They read well and had lively detail.
    The only time I'm content is when I've conducted a strong interview, or the subject matter is loaded with detail the reader probably doesn't have. Then, and only then, do I have a smile on my face as I'm writing it.
     
  9. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    Not sure I've written something I've liked. The only reason people tell me a story I wrote was good is because their name was in the article.
     
  10. Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    Hell I've even had those when I spelled their name wrong.
     
  11. FileNotFound

    FileNotFound Well-Known Member

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    Among the Top 5 Greatest Feelings Ever. If I could find a way to bottle that ... sure does make the job a lot more fun.
     
  12. GuessWho

    GuessWho Active Member

    Re: Feeling good about a story as you're writing it

    I've mentioned this before. But when some time lapses and I go back and re-read stuff I thought was gold at the time I wrote it as well stuff I thought was crap, there's really not a whole lot of difference in any of it (maybe because it's all crap? :p). I think much (not all) of your perception of your stuff depends on the mood you're in at the time you read/write it.
     
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