Takeout specialists?

[fishwrapper]

I've had the pleasure of working over, under and with some of the statesmen (euphemistically speaking) of the business. Some, the sour cantankerous type, wouldn't be afraid to inform you of history.
In some cases, I didn't learn by osmosis as much as a fire hose. But, now I smile remembering them.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

Knute Rockne is an excellent takeout writer.

;D

The initial post's idea as far as trying to find time to do takeouts between other work is all too prevalent. The bigger papers have the room on staff for someone to just be a writer who weaves 60-inch narratives and in-depth stories, and the space to run them with regularity.

But I don't think long, high-quality stories will necessarily keep newspapers relevant. espn.com has done some excellent such pieces, as has yahoo.com. These pieces are what helps make journalism and the written word relevant and vital. But the Web sites (for both newspapers and other outlets), with their flashier presentation, space for longer pieces as wel as links to more infomation, and ability to share such pieces with friends more easily, have stolen the printed word's thunder.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

kevin manahan, newark star-ledger, does splendid takeout work.

What I like about his stuff is that the content influences his tone and style rather his tone and style overwhelming the content. He knows when to get out of the way and when to have his word fun.

 

[Smartwriter]

In South Carolina (I don't read the Greenville paper), I can only think of one person in the state who serves as the "takeout" specialist. Kent Babb writes for The State and he does a good job. He's a little over the top sometimes (and I'm certainly not claiming that I'm not), because he's a young writer, but he does a pretty solid job. Other than him, the state of South Carolina doesn't really have a guy who specializes in that.

I remember when he was a stringer for The State. We did a high school football game at Camden one year. Me, Kent and the guy from the Camden paper walking down the sideline. From the little I spoke with him, he seemed like a good guy. He's one of the Gamecocks writers now, right?

 

[zagoshe]

The sad thing is takeout writing is becoming extinct. Newspapers don't have space for them any more and magazines are dying and people doing surveys have found that most people reading the internet have no attention span to read them so they are constantly pushing for shorters stories. That's a shame but by the same token it has made me a much better writer. I've figured out that longer isn't always better and that if you can tell the same story in 20 inches that you can in 35 -- with a little less detail obviously -- it might be a better story because it will likely be well written. If you don't have space to burn you are more likely to not waste words.

 

[KnuteRockne]

The sad thing is takeout writing is becoming extinct. Newspapers don't have space for them any more and magazines are dying and people doing surveys have found that most people reading the internet have no attention span to read them so they are constantly pushing for shorters stories. That's a shame but by the same token it has made me a much better writer. I've figured out that longer isn't always better and that if you can tell the same story in 20 inches that you can in 35 -- with a little less detail obviously -- it might be a better story because it will likely be well written. If you don't have space to burn you are more likely to not waste words.

That's true for mediocre writers, not for really good ones. They don't have as much trouble with wasting words, and understand that keeping the reader moving is more important than writing pretty sentences. Shorter isn't necessarily better, just like longer isn't necessarily better.

I certainly don't think that a longer story should be written in a lede-quote-lead in-quote-lead in-quote formula for 60 inches. Yawn.

 

[PaperDoll]

But what about newspaper people? What papers still have people specialize in that craft? Or do you have to squeeze it into your spare time among other duties?

Lori Shontz, who is now in St. Louis but formerly in Pittsburgh, was a solid feature writer. I think she's gone to the desk though.

I aspire to become a full-time feature/takeout/enterprise writer. I'd like to write the daily enterprise, the 25-inchers that used to anchor Sunday sections, rather than the huge magnum opus multi-part series. (I don't think I have the patience to work on the same story for months!)

I squeeze as many "big picture" stories as I can in between the regular beat requirements. But I haven't had much training, nor do my stories get significantly line-edited, so I sometimes feel like I'm not getting any better.

Are there certain papers or editors who are known for grooming good feature writers?

 

[greggdoyel]

Lee Jenkins does now what Dan Le Batard did when he had more time for his newspaper gig: Find better stories than anyone else and then write the everloving crap out of them.

(That was not a shot at DLB. Just saying.)

 

[CentralIllinoisan]

Since we're on the subject, where did the term "takeout" originate?
I've been wondering that for 25 years in the business. Was always too embarrassed to ask anybody.

It was started by the same guy who invented the -30- at the end of press releases.

Wow. I'm about to sound like the old guy:
Teletype symbols so one could discern the state of the story...
-30- was used long before "press releases."

-10- = first lede
-20- = first lede writethru, more tk
-30- = optional. end of transmission.

(-30- = nowadays just means end of send.)

Historical root: "-30-" has been used to signify "the end" or "over and out" since the Civil War when telegraphers tapped "XXX" to end transmissions. "XXX" is the Roman numeral for 30.

Here is a full list of the wire signals. You'll recognize some. They've been used for over 150 years, and if there are other military vets on the board, they can tell you some of the signals are still used today.

1 Wait a moment
2 Important Business
3 What time is it?
4 Where shall I go ahead?
5 Have you business for me?
6 I am ready
7 Are you ready?
8 Close your key; circuit is busy
9 Close your key for priorit business (Wire chief, dispatcher, etc)
10 Keep this circuit closed
12 Do you understand?
13 I understand
14 What is the weather?
15 For you and other to copy
17 Lightning here
18 What is the trouble?
19 Form 19 train order
21 Stop for a meal
22 Wire test
23 All copy
24 Repeat this back
25 Busy on another wire
26 Put on ground wire
27 Priority, very important
28 Do you get my writing?
29 Private, deliver in sealed envelope
30 No more (end)
31 Form 31 train order
32 I understand that I am to ...
33 Car report (Also, answer is paid for)
34 Message for all officers
35 You may use my signal to answer this
37 Diversion (Also, inform all interested)
39 Important, with priority on thru wire (Also, sleep-car report)
44 Answer promptly by wire
73 Best regards
88 Love and kisses
91 Superintendant's signal
92 Deliver promptly
93 Vice President and General Manager's signals
95 President's signal
134 Who is at the key?

Great stuff. Did not know that explanation for -30-. Shows that 20 years in the business is really not all that long. I'm proud of myself for knowing the origins of "rim" and "job."

Fixed.

 

[henryhenry]

Saslow at the Post, as someone said already, is very, very good. And very, very young. There was a Q&A with him recently on one of the sports media web sites, can't remember which one. Pretty interesting read.

http://www.sportsmediaguide.com/12282006-EliSaslow.asp