The Coaching Method This book aims to serve as a surrogate writing coach by anticipating problems wr

1
The Coaching MethodThis book aims to serve as
a surrogate writing coach by anticipating
problems writers might have and offering
solutions.- Carole Rich, p. 10-11
2
The 4 Cs

• Conceive the Idea
• Collect
• Construct
• Correct

3
Conceive the Idea

• Develop an idea for a story
• Whats the main point?
• Be flexiblecant always decide before
• Deductive versus Inductive

4
Collect

• Reporting stage
• Background info, before interview
• Check online and hard copy
• Interview more than one source
• Ask more questions than you plan to use
• Jot down own observations (as many details as
  possible)

5
Construct

• Planning and writing stage
• Plan around main idea
• Mark info in notes need a blueprint
• Make a short outline
• Write a first draft

6
Correct

• Read your story carefully
• Read it aloud
• Make any necessary changes
• Add or delete info
• May need to completely reorganize
• Checking spelling of names, accuracy of facts
• Correct grammar, style and typing errors

7
5 Ws and H

• Journalists organize their stories around 6 basic
  questions. Many of these are answered in the
  lead.
• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• Why
• How

8
Press of Atlantic City Story

• Casino workers to rally for inclusion in smoking
  ban
• By ELAINE ROSE Staff Writer, [phone]
• Published Saturday, August 26, 2006
• ATLANTIC CITY Casino workers who want to be
  included in the state's indoor-smoking ban will
  start the Labor Day weekend with a 12-hour rally
  Friday on the Boardwalk at Kennedy Plaza.
• The rally will take place from 10 a.m. to 10
  p.m., with the speakers and entertainment going
  on from noon until about 3 p.m., said organizer
  Jennifer Pielhau, community partnership
  coordinator for Atlantic Prevention Resources.
• It's a holiday weekend, so we're hoping several
  hundred people will come, Pielhau said. We're
  trying to encourage the casino workers to come
  out either before or after their shift.
• The New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act went into
  effect April 15, but smoking is still allowed in
  gaming areas of casinos. A committee of casino
  employees and health advocates has been working
  all summer to include the gaming halls.
  Assemblyman Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, has
  introduced such a measure and said he plans to
  push it forward in the fall.
• Speakers at Friday's rally will include Whelan,
  Atlantic City Councilman Gene Robinson, Atlantic
  County Executive Dennis Levinson and several
  casino employees, including one who got lung
  cancer even though he never smoked.
• Various health organizations will set up
  information tables throughout the day, and people
  can sign a petition for smoke-free casinos, pick
  up complaint forms for noncompliance with the
  smoking ban or buy T-shirts, Pielhau said. The
  more people we get, the more support we get, the
  more likely it is we can push this issue
  through, Pielhau said.

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GOP Makes Major Changes to Convention Activities

• By Michael Abramowitz and Robert Barnes
• Washington Post Staff Writers
• ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 31 -- The Republican Party
  rewrote its convention script Sunday, canceling
  appearances by President Bush and Vice President
  Cheney and jettisoning most of the rest of its
  Monday night program, as presumptive nominee John
  McCain called on his party to halt partisan
  activities as Hurricane Gustav bore down on the
  Gulf Coast.

10
The Lead

• The hook that tells the reader what the story is
  about
• Good lead reader keeps reading
• Hard news usually first sentence and rest of
  story usually elaborates on the 5 Ws and H
  (Summary Lead).
• Dont have to answer all questions in lead if it
  would make lead long and cumbersome.

11
One Sentence Paragraphs

• Most newspaper stories have one-sentence
  paragraphs.

12
The Lead

• Writer has to decide which elements are most
  important
• Soft leads are often used for feature stories

13
Story about Communication Program

• 10 minutes review background materials and write
  questions
• 10 minutes ask questions
• 30 minutes write 250 word story