COMM 337: Who are you going to talk with? Reporting exercise for class today ...

Write what you know? While it seems perfectly sound on one level, living by this mantra can limit and even deter your career. In order to grow as professionals, writers need to be taught: Write what you don't know.

Why take on work in this manner? For one thing, it builds your repertoire. Second, editors want all-around writers that they can send on any assignment. Third, it opens doors to other opportunities. If you can research and write about an unfamiliar subject, you bring to the table a fresh perspective. Editors always need fresh ideas - even new takes on old topics. ("Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" 87-88.

Of course there's a catch ... there always is, isn't there? The Handbook continues:

You might ask, "Can I understand everything about a subject?" The honest answer is, "No." If you try to know every tiny detail, you'll never stay within your deadline. But you must gain a good working knowledge, concentrate on finding key points, get your facts straight (which you undoubtedly will be extra-inclined to to in foreign territory), and talk to the right people. (88)

Today, using the tips and guidelines in Chapter 5 of the Writer's Digest Handbook, we're going to see how it works.

By the way, did you notice the title? "Research." Did you notice what it's about? Talking with the right people. To a journalist, research isn't something you do in a library, it's something you do on the phone. Or, better, in person. Reading up on a subject is essential, but you do it before you talk to them. That way you don't waste their time. Or yours!

So now, let's find out about kumquats, and start looking for kumquat experts.

Kumquats?

Using the suggestions in the Handbook, where would we go to find out about kumquats. Who would we talk to? I mean specifically who we'd talk to. No doubt you've learned about networking in other communications, business or management classes. That's essentially how you go about finding the right people to talk with for a story.

As we talk our way through the kumquat story, we'll change our perspective as we think of different people we can talk with. Finding sources and narrowing the topic are a chicken-and-egg proposition. What we write depends on what the experts tell us. Right? So the perspective will change. As we find out about kumquats, for example, we may find it makes better sense to write about growing them indoors rather than how to keep alligators out of the drainage ditches around the kumquat trees in Florida. I'm just making this up, but you get the idea. Here's what the Handbook says:

You'll get most of your article ideas by meeting people - not by trying to scramble aeound and finf people who you can interview and thus support your article idea.(92)

Once we've explored some of the possibilities of the fascinating world of kumquat horticulture as a group, here are a couple of other topics you can try:

• Maine coon cats
  
• The Japanese tea ceremony

Pick one. I hope they seem obscure to you. The point is to find out where the experts are on something you don't already know. Surf around, brainstorm with other students and post your story ideas/sources as comments to this blog item. I encourage you to do this in informal small groups with one or two other students and post a joint comment (be sure to give all your names so you get credit).

For Thursday: Read Chapters 2 ("Queries") and 7 ("Avoiding Problems"). Note, we're taking these out of order - we're going back and picking up the chapter on queries. Be ready to write the first draft of a query on the article I've assigned for the week after Thanksgiving in class Thursday. Next week we'll take up Chapters 8 ("Writing Techniques and Revision") and 9 ("How to Write Common Articles"), so read them over the weekend.