Writing Style

[mike311gd]

I have a certain style in my writing, and it works for me. Usually, I'll try to end with a strong quote in a gamer or feature, and I'll end a column with a strong statement. This, however, bugs me.

From the AP Indians-A's gamer: "I figured sooner or later I'd hit a home run," he said.

I have an extreme distaste for ending an article with "Sabathia said." or something of that nature. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, per se, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Does anyone else feel the same?

 

[John]

I try to avoid it, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it if I finish an article that way.

 

[write then drink]

when you're on deadline, all those little rules and pet peeves seem to become meaningless

 

[DavidPalmer4Prez]

I hate the 'he said' ending as well. If I have a short ending quote I always make it. Said Jones, "Amazing quote."

 

[Some Guy]

I don't have any hard and fast rules for or against this. Sometimes a "he said" ending works fine. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it doesn't but you're on deadline and there's nothing you can do about it anyway.

 

[Chad Conant]

readers remember more that Travis Hafner said that than how the story ended.

 

[JD Canon]

"I figured sooner or later," he said, "I'd hit a home run."

 

[tonysoprano]

readers remember more that Travis Hafner said that than how the story ended.

Amen.

 

[Jones]

"I figured sooner or later," he said, "I'd hit a home run."

I'm not a fan of the split quote. I think it's overdone.

That being said, I'm not a fan of finishing a story on a quote, either. Unless it's incredibly strong or tender, I'd put my money on a good writer coming up with something that hits harder.

I understand deadline pressure and all, and I understand that rules are made to be broken... It's just my preference. I'd rather read writing than talking.

 

[bigpern23]

"I figured sooner or later," he said, "I'd hit a home run."

I'm not a fan of the split quote. I think it's overdone.

That being said, I'm not a fan of finishing a story on a quote, either. Unless it's incredibly strong or tender, I'd put my money on a good writer coming up with something that hits harder.

I understand deadline pressure and all, and I understand that rules are made to be broken... It's just my preference. I'd rather read writing than talking.

Split quote is way overdone. I'll pretty much only use it for emphasis on certain parts of the quote and I do so very rarely. I could probably count on one hand how many times I've done it in the last five years.

 

[mike311gd]

readers remember more that Travis Hafner said that than how the story ended.

Amen.

I agree with both of you on that point. But it irks me a bit to end it "Hafner said." And I am an OCD kind of guy.

And there have been times where I know a mistake is in my final copy and it keeps me up a bit. Never this issue, but there have been others.

 

[Chad Conant]

To me how you end it doesn't matter. You have to start well to get them in the door.

There's no law that says they have to read you ... or finish the story. Write well and don't worry about the ending.

 

[Jones]

Chad, no offense, but that's about the worst, most cynical advice I can imagine.

That sounds like inverted pyramid horse****, lazy formula, template writing, all the stuff that's killing newspapers. Write well, yes, I agree with you there. And the top is important, sure.

But the ending is everything.

I mean, it's your leaving note. You want to go out with... Meh?

 

[JD Canon]

Chad, no offense, but that's about the worst, most cynical advice I can imagine.

That sounds like inverted pyramid horse****, lazy formula, template writing, all the stuff that's killing newspapers. Write well, yes, I agree with you there. And the top is important, sure.

But the ending is everything.

I mean, it's your leaving note. You want to go out with... Meh?

depends. you talking about a feature or a column? or are you talking about a 12- to 15-inch gamer or a small piece of sports news?

for the former, i agree, you could absolutely benefit (and often times need) a good kicker, quote or otherwise. you know, to resonate.

but if it's just a run-of-the-mill game report or even something like the women's volleyball coach getting a 2-year extension, it's not always worth it to stress about the last sentence — especially on deadline.

when you're only dealing with 12 inches or so and a time constraint, it's near impossible to be too 'crafty' at the end of the story, no matter how OCD you are. blow your creativity on the lede. that's what a majority of the people will see anyway.

ron burgundy: "it's science."

 

[Chad Conant]

Chad, no offense, but that's about the worst, most cynical advice I can imagine.

That sounds like inverted pyramid horse****, lazy formula, template writing, all the stuff that's killing newspapers. Write well, yes, I agree with you there. And the top is important, sure.

But the ending is everything.

I mean, it's your leaving note. You want to go out with... Meh?

I couldn't disagree more. Writing a great ending, especially to a gamer, means nothing if the rest of the story sucks. If you don't write the first 12 inches well, no one will ever get to your awesome ending.

You need to leave a feature with something to tie the knot and a column needs a strong point at the end. But a gamer like this, you better write the lead better than the end, because the second you give them **** at the top and a great ending, they never make it to the end.

No one ever held readers attention with a great ending. It's your top that makes them keep going.

Meh.

 

[chazp]

I have a certain style in my writing, and it works for me. Usually, I'll try to end with a strong quote in a gamer or feature, and I'll end a column with a strong statement. This, however, bugs me.

From the AP Indians-A's gamer: "I figured sooner or later I'd hit a home run," he said.

I have an extreme distaste for ending an article with "Sabathia said." or something of that nature. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, per se, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Does anyone else feel the same?

I must be borrowing your style, because I oftentimes end a feature with a quote and a column with a blunt statement. Is this a case of great minds thinking alike?

 

[Jones]

Not sure where I was asking for a **** top, Chad. Yeah, if the first 500 words suck, nobody's going to care about the last 100. And yeah, it's more important for a feature or a column than a gamer.

But a gamer isn't just fill. No reason one can't be good top-to-bottom, too. And I'd argue gamers especially need to be, just to compete against all the other ways fans can get the nuts-and-bolts quicker than in your paper.

I mean, jeez, if you're going into it assuming that readers aren't going to finish your stories -- that sounds to me like a good way to make sure they aren't going to finish your stories.

 

[Chad Conant]

You've pretty clearly never read me.

I don't particularly care how a story ends, because that's not what draws them in. If you cover a team like the Indians, you're writing so many gamers they do become filler to a point. No, they're not formulaic. But you're also not writing the Super Bowl five times a week.

Give them a reason to read you and they'll be there at the end. Worrying about the ending being crafty won't get them in the door.

Just write and have fun with it. There's a big difference between a midweek, midseason gamer and something people will read as more than a throw away.

 

[mike311gd]

I don't know about anyone else, but when I write, I aim for a solid story, from the beginning to the end. I don't want to slack off in any part of the story, no matter the style of the piece or the length. Why shouldn't a story be strong all the way through; shouldn't that be every writer's goal?

Otherwise, I really think you're robbing your readers of the full effect. Anyone could read the box score, but our aim is to bring them into our articles and send them off on a good note. All the while, keeping them entertained through the middle. At least that's my take. But, I'm only 24. What do I know?

 

[Jones]

You've pretty clearly never read me.

I'm not sure what this means.

But it doesn't matter. We're not going to come to a consensus here. I think endings count as much as tops. You don't. Okay.