Writing Human-Interest Stories Kirsten Gantenbein MSTC Student 2/28/06

What Do I Mean by Human-Interest Stories?

• Synonymous with Journalism term: “Feature Story” – The stories you see in the Sunday paper– Magazine stories in Time, etc.

• Profiling a person or event• Appeals to the reader’s emotions or personal

interests

The Benefits of Learning Human-Interest Writing for Technical Writers

• Expand your audience • Bring a more emotional and memorable

impact• Allow for different perspectives• Bring persuasiveness for Marketing and

PR writing • Add more skills to your writing

repertoire

Basic journalism techniques can help to:

How to Write a Human-Interest Story

• Audience• Purpose• Structure• Breakout Session—Finding the

Angle• posTComm • Tips for Writing Your Stories

Audience

•Specific– Audience research is

very important before drafting a report or documentation

•Reading for information

•Broad– Example: posTComm

audience includes alumni, perspective students, donors, etc.

•Reading for leisure or personal interest

Technical Writing versus Human-Interest Writing

How to Write a Human-Interest Story

• Audience• Purpose• Structure• Breakout Session—Finding the

Angle• posTComm• Tips for Writing Your Stories

Purpose

•To provide information:

– Useful

•To provide the reader with a story:

– 5 W’s– Compelling – Impact– People– Perspective– In Depth– Revealing

•If the reader can’t find the story, they get frustrated and STOP reading!

Technical Writing versus Human-Interest Writing

How to Write a Human-Interest Story

• Audience• Purpose• Structure• Breakout Session—Finding the

Angle• posTComm• Tips for Writing Your Stories

Structure

• Thesis statement about points 1, 2, 3.

• Point 1• Point 2• Point 3• Conclusion

•Thesis statement--Lead•Journalism--Inverted Pyramid

– Most relevant details to the least relevant details of the story

Technical Writing versus Human-Interest Writing

Technical Writing Example

This study investigated how teachers planned for and involved their diverse students in classroom writing activity. Three strands of literature were relevant to understanding the ways teachers might foster students’ participation in writing tasks. First, research and theoretical positions that illuminate the nature of writing activity, writing development, and related conceptions of teacher support provide information about influences on conceptions of writing instruction. Second, studies of writing instruction provide understandings of teachers’ role in planning…

Journalism Example

SESTRIERE, Italy - The 21-year-old Californian Julia Mancuso earned a stunning victory in the giant slalom today in snowy, foggy conditions to salvage a disappointing Olympics for the U.S. women's ski team.

“2006 Olympics: Julia Mancuso skied to the rescue in the nick of time.” By Associated PressFebruary 24, 2006

The first sentence is the “lead”—who, what, where, when, why

Tell your reader the end first….

Lead Info

2nd Most Important Fact

3rd Most Impt. Fact

4th Most Impt.

LeastRelevant

Info

Structure—Inverted Pyramid

Components of a Human-Interest Story• Headline• Byline • Lead

– Story up high• Body

– Story Details• Quotes

– Brings voice and insight from another source• Ending (The Kicker)

– Expands on significance…memorable ending

The Feature Lead: How to Begin Your Human-Interest Story

•Types of feature leads– Narrative– Anecdotal– Descriptive– Focus-on-the-person

•Nut Graph– 3rd or paragraph into story – Don’t keep audience

guessing– Focus

•Leads are important– Grab their attention– Tell them the story– Tell them what’s in

store

Journalism Example

SESTRIERE, Italy - The 21-year-old Californian Julia Mancuso earned a stunning victory in the giant slalom today in snowy, foggy conditions to salvage a disappointing Olympics for the U.S. women's ski team.

“2006 Olympics: Julia Mancuso skied to the rescue in the nick of time.” By Associated PressFebruary 24, 2006

The first sentence is the “lead”—who, what, where, when, why

Strategies for Writing Interesting Human-Interest Leads

TURIN, Italy — Since she was a child, Julia Mancuso wanted to be crowned a champion. The California skier even wore a tiara during one of her races last week.

Now she doesn't have to pretend after slicing through a blinding snowstorm Friday to capture America's first gold medal in the giant slalom since 1984 — the year she was born.

•Narrative elements•Anecdotal •Descriptive

– Sets a scene•Focuses on person•Nut Graph

– This story is about her winning a medal in the giant slalom

– Answers the 5 W’s

Find the story angle and begin your story!

“Mancuso fastest in snowstorm, wins giant slalom”By Elliott Almond, San Jose Mercury News

February 25

How to Write a Human-Interest Story

• Audience• Purpose• Structure• Breakout Session—Finding the

Angle• posTComm • Tips for Writing Your Stories

Break Out Session: Review Statistics and Find an Angle

• Analyze the data:– Which statistics have the most impact?– Which do you find the most interesting?

• Find the possible angles:– What would appeals to a broader audience?– What would makes an emotional impact?

Break Out Session: Evaluate Feature Leads

• Read the article published in the Seattle Times:– Is it effective? – What grabs you about this lead?– Did you like or dislike the techniques the writer used?

• Discuss some differences you find– Why are these difference important?

How could you apply this to a technical communication story?

How to Write a Human-Interest Story

• Audience• Purpose• Structure• Breakout Session—Finding the

Angle• posTComm• Tips for Writing Your Stories

Rewards of Writing for posTComm

• Learn layout skills• STC recognition• Get in touch with alumni• Crete a publication that represents the TC department

– Give back to the TC department– Pride

Examples of posTComm Stories for 2006

• Beth Kolko goes to the UN Summit on Technology in Tunisia• STC Career Fair: March 28• Student Internships--Los Alamos• Faculty profiles--New Hire• Anita Salem (MSTC graduate) and her work with the Red

Cross• Relay for Life team and event

How to Write a Human-Interest Story

• Audience• Purpose• Structure• Breakout Session—Finding the

Angle• posTComm • Tips for Writing Your Stories

Tips for Writing Human-Interest Leads

• The lead comes from the story– Build on a quote– Focus on a person

• Memorable fact or impression from an interview • Put yourself in the reader’s shoes

Try Several Versions and Don’t Give Up!

Add’l Tips—Tips for Story Writing• Structure is looser• Think cinematically

– Long shot: Establish background– Close-up or zoom in: Main character– Point of View shots

• The Five S’s– So come on in– So what?– So and so– So therefore– So long!

• End your story with a kicker– Ending with a quote is always a good strategy

Add’l Tips—Tips for Interviewing

• Brings voice and insight from another source• Planning the Interview

– Research interviewee’s background, facts of story– Open-end vs. closed ended questions

• Note-taking– Tape recorder (have back-up) – Slow the pace of the interview – Rewrite notes after it’s over

Thank you!

Email Judy, Kate Long, or Kirsten for more informationjramey@u.washington.edukatelong@u.washington.edugantek@u.washington.edu