The Feature Coverage class was given an assignment to write a 300 word personality profile on another student in the class. Student Bianca Pugliesi chose to write about her classmate’s memory of her friend moving away to Virginia.
“The point of the assignment is that everybody has a story,” Pugliesi said. “If you keep talking to someone, eventually you’ll have one.”
Instead of using the traditional interview method, Pugliesi, during a simple conversation about school, was able to learn about the personal story.
“It’s definitely a more comfortable way to get information,” Pugliesi said. “It helps you relate to the person you’re writing the feature on.”
One of the most interesting feature pieces Feature Coverage teacher Betsy Rau has ever read by a journalism student was about the last game at the old Tiger’s Stadium.
“It tugged at my heartstrings and I could identify with it,” Rau said. “Here’s a kid who grew up going to these games and now he’s at his last one. It was a pull-at-your-emotions story.”
As MIPA’s speaker last night, Pulitzer prize-winner Farah Stockman, told the stories of her many interviews with people from all over the world, one thing she stressed was how important it is to relate with the people in your stories.
As Rau said, “It’s the journalist’s job to find that story.”
This was great! Simple conversations are a good way to get to know people.