Tips from reporter and columnist Edie Gross:

Feature Story

Keep yourself out of the story—no “I” or “we.” You’re there to tell someone else’s story. Don’t get in the way of that.

Sometimes it’s nice to start a feature story with an anecdote or a colorful scene-setter that illustrates your greater point, then move into the meat of your story. So instead of starting off a feature with A lot more students are attending Chancellor Middle School this year, you could start with an anecdote instead:

For seventh-grader Joe Schmoe, getting to second-period math class on time is no easy trick.

For starters, his first-period English class is on the other side of the school. Adding to the difficulty this year is that Chancellor Middle School is more crowded than ever.

According to Principal Frye, an extra 300 students attend our school this year, meaning classes, the cafeteria, the playing fields and the hallways are packed.

“I’ve definitely noticed a difference,” said Joe, who barely gets to math class before the bell rings. “I run into so many people in the hall, and it slows me down. I’m like, ‘Pardon me, excuse me, pardon me, I’M LATE!’ ”

Using a student in the example above lets you illustrate a numbers story (which can be boring) with a real human being. Showing how real people are impacted by everyday situations is an important part of newspaper storytelling. Always try to get the human angle of a story.

Rather than say So-and-so is a great guy in your story, interview others who know your subject—friends, coaches, teachers, siblings—and use their perspectives to show us that so-and-so is a great guy.

Showing is much better than telling. Provide evidence for the things you’re saying. Instead of saying something like Everyone had a lot of fun during Spirit Week, describe for the reader people having fun: students cheering and laughing, teachers smiling, your principal turning cartwheels on the front lawn, etc.

Use colorful quotes throughout your feature, but try not to start your story with a quote. Sometimes, that makes the readers feel like they just walked into a conversation and they don’t yet know what’s going on.

Use all your senses. Make note of what you see, hear, smell, taste and feel in a situation. You might not use all of it in your story, but some of those details can make a story richer.

Choose stories that are fun to report on and write—that makes them fun to read.

---

Personal Column

These columns should be about something you have actually experienced, and the readers should get something out of it, either by simply being entertained because you did something silly or by learning something from your tale.

It’s OK to use the words “I” and “we” in a personal column since you’re often telling a story from your own perspective.

“ Firsts” make for good columns—the first time you learned to ride a bike, the first time you flew on an airplane, the first time you were allowed to stay by yourself at your house without a babysitter. There’s a universality to those topics—everyone, at one time or another, has been in that position—so that makes them fun to read about.

Also, write like you talk. That makes the column more like a conversation with your readers.

---

General Writing Tips

Read all of your writing out loud so you can “hear” how it sounds to the reader. That’s the best way to catch errors.

Avoid cluttering your writing with lots of unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. Use strong verbs. Instead of The Chancellor girls soccer team beat the Thornburg Jaguars 14 to 3 on Thursday, try something like The Chancellor girls soccer team destroyed/shellacked/whipped the Thornburg Jaguars 14 to 3 on Thursday. Those verbs are more descriptive, and they illustrate what happened better.

Stay away from passive verbs. Use active ones instead by putting your subject first. So instead of The road was crossed by the chicken, say The chicken crossed the road.

Talk to as many different people as you can for stories. Avoid interviewing the same folks (your friends, the class president, the head cheerleader) over and over again. If you do that, all your stories will start to sound the same. Plus, it’s boring for readers to hear from the same people all the time. Instead, give a voice to those who are often overlooked.

Additional News/Feature writing basics from The Free Lance–Star’s Newsroom Manual
Use periods. Simple declarative sentences are the keys to good writing.

Keep your lead sentence short. Remember that you lose 50 percent of your readers if the lead sentence goes beyond 28 words. Aim for 20 max.

Eliminate clutter. Delete every word that serves no purpose, especially adjectives and adverbs.

Include a “so what” paragraph high in the piece, so the reader knows why the story is important. Helps the writer focus and organize.

Don’t begin a story with a quote. A good quote can make a good ending.

Keep paragraphs short. Three sentences max.

Can’t get started? Set the scene in the first three paragraphs, then tell the story in chronological order.

---

Interviewing tips

Try to do some research ahead of time on the person you're interviewing. That way, you don't go in completely cold and you're able to come up with a decent list of questions to ask. This includes reading articles previously written about them, Googling them and talking to friends and associates about them. If you're interviewing several people about a particular issue, be sure to research the issue ahead of time.

Come up with questions that encourage a person to talk, by starting your question with words like "what," "why" and "how." If all you do is ask "yes" or "no" questions, all you'll get are "yes" or "no" answers, which aren't really interesting. If you do ask a "yes" or "no" question, try following it up with a "why" question that encourages your subject to expand on their initial answer. So instead of "Do you like the Twilight series?", try "Why do you like (or not like) the Twilight series?"

Write your list of questions in your notebook so you can refer to them throughout the interview. But don't be afraid to veer off that list. For instance, if you're interviewing someone and she says off-hand that in her spare time, she teaches her poodle how to play a bagpipe, pursue that! That could be really interesting and something you didn't know about previously. You can always come back to your pre-written list of questions later.

Remember to ask for basic information, like your subject's age, grade, occupation, hometown and the correct spelling of their name. Getting their name right is really key.

Don't interview the same people over and over. The student body president doesn't have to be quoted in every article. Try talking to the people who sometimes get overlooked. Their opinions are valid, and it's your job to seek them out. Also, talk to the people most affected by whatever situation you're writing about. For instance, if you're writing about cafeteria lunches, talk to the students and teachers who are actually eating those lunches, not just School Board types.

Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions, but if you think it's the kind of question that may cause your subject to get up and walk out on you (or toss you out), save it for the end. That way, you've still got enough information for your story.

I usually make my last interview question this: Is there anything else you'd like to add that I didn't ask you? You can't always think of everything to ask. This allows your subject to contribute something beyond what you've already asked them.

Tips from Viewpoints editor Karen Owen
When writing an editorial or an opinion column, it’s important to do the research to make sure you have the details right and then write as persuasive an article as possible.

Try to know both sides of an issue, and then present what YOU think. You can have an opinion on just about anything, but write about what you know.

Tips from Editorial Cartoonists Clay Jones
The idea is 90 % of your cartoon. Cut to the chase with your point. Avoid the obvious.

Tips from syndicated cartoonist Kevin Rechin
Create a short, amusing story that you can tell in a comic strip format. Draw characters that make you smile when you look at them, and have fun. Keep it simple. Don’t clutter backgrounds. Think funny and simple!

Kevin Rechin's father, Bill Rechin, was the original creator of the comic strip “Crock”. Crock appears in more than 200 newspapers worldwide, including The Free Lance-Star.

Tips from Pete Cihelka, Photographer
Photographs should be of spontaneous, non-staged moments. Try to isolate and compose the moments around you in dynamic ways. Remember that things like light, composition and compelling moments make great pictures. Do not turn a blind eye to the things you see in your daily routine. In short, look for fresh ways to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Additional comments from Pete Cihelka, added after he selected winning photos from last year’s submissions.

While taking photographs, move, move, move.  Vary the angle and perspective.  There were too many photos where the photographer just shot from eye level.

Avoid visual clichés.  Sunsets and flowers have been done to death.  Take the time to find something or someone that will make for a visually intriguing photograph.

Exercise patience.  There were a lot of images that could've been better if the light was a little different or if someone within the frame had moved a bit.

Work your subject.  Don't take one or two frames and call it quits.  Change out focal lengths, angles and exposures.

Design a print ad to promote one of these Star Radio Group stations. Star Radio Group is a subsidiary of The Free Lance–Star Companies’. Specification for Ad Design:

Click on a logo for copy specifications:
          

Tips from Bob Hebert, print sales representative
Simply put, the goal of advertising is to get the reader to take action. Newspaper readers seldom spend more than a few seconds reading an ad. Think of the ad as a story told at hyper speed. Great ads are those that clearly communicate three things to the reader: “What is for sale?”, “What is the benefit to me?” and “How can I get it?” In other words, make the reader aware, and make them care!

The addition of large, exciting artwork will attract the reader’s eye. Don’t clutter up the ad with lots of tiny art–it’s better to go with a single dominant illustration.

Tell a story. Use a punchline.
The headline has to link to the image
Originality is huge! Boring is curse of most advertising.
Use humor: exaggeration, juxtaposition, the unexpected
Make me curious. Make me want to know more.

Tips from Anna Lowry, Advertising Graphic Designer and Production Team Leader
The goal of an online banner ad is to entice the viewer to find out more about a product or company—usually through clicking on the ad, taking them to the company’s site.

You only have a second to get the viewers’ attention. Be creative and keep your message short and clear. Use animation to grab the viewer's attention, but keep it subtle (like a waving flag or gradual color change). You don't want to annoy the viewer with flashy, loud moving images; and don't trick them into clicking by promising something that isn't true.

Think of a web banner like a storefront window—it doesn't need every bit of information because the viewer can click to go in and find out more.

Include a call to action to encourage the viewer to click on your ad, like "click for more info" or "find out more".

To ensure your ad is relevant, familiarize yourself with the company's website before you create your design. Keep company logo or name visible on all frames so the viewer knows what the ad is for.

Use only copyright-free or royalty-free photos and clip art. It is illegal to use copyrighted materials without permission from the owner.

Tips from Alex Russell, Multimedia Coordinator
Getting Started:
· Start with a clear outline of what you want to tell your audience. Plan ahead who your characters will be, and what elements you will need to best tell your story.
· Tell a story. It should be interesting and include a beginning, middle and end.

What the judges look for, with tips to help you produce award-winning video:

· A story that affects people locally.
Avoid national or international stories, UNLESS there is a local angle. For example, a major earthquake in Japan is not a local story. However, if you know of a local person who has family in Japan, your story could be about how this person is dealing with the tragedy.

· Facts that are verifiable, accurate and backed up by sources.
If you state "Ten percent of all accidents involving teens are texting-related," you must show where that information comes from: "Sgt. Tyler of the Virginia State Police says that ten percent of..." Use the names of any people you talk to. Do not use anonymous sources. Avoid terms like "A lot of people say..." or "Rumors are going around that..."

Avoid expressing an opinion. Good journalism reports the facts only, and allows the viewer to formulate their own conclusion.

· Good camera technique.
Hold the camera still during your shots. Avoid overuse of zooms, panning and tilting.

Some tips for good shooting
Use a tripod to prevent camera shake

· Use of both A-roll (your voice, interview, music, etc) and B-Roll (images or video that go overtop of the audio to further illustrate your point.)

The Difference between A-roll and B-roll footage.

Watch your local network TV news to see good examples of interviews, camera work and use of B-roll. Grab a notebook and pen and write down what you see. Notice the use of a-roll, b-roll, art, camera angles, etc.

· Tasteful use of graphical elements.
Avoid overuse of flashy technical elements, such as special effects, graphics and animations. Too much bling can distract the viewer from your message. Tasteful use of some graphical elements is good when used in a manner that adds to the story.

· Use of original or public-domain elements.
Wikipedia and Wikicommons are good places to obtain public-domain information. Do not use anything that's copyrighted. This includes music, movie clips, photos, newspaper or magazine articles, artwork, maps, etc.

Good sources for free, royalty-free music:
MusicAlley.com
Creative Commons

For art, avoid using Google Image Search. Most images are copryighted and not legal for your use. Instead, look at Wikipedia and wikicommons. Both are good resources for public domain artwork.

Web Tutorials:
Pulitzer Center: Tips for Video Journalists
The Digital Journalists: 10 Tips for Dramatically Improving Your Videojournalism Stories
Knight Digital Media Center: Video Techniques
VideoMaker Channel:
How to Get Rid of Hiss and Hums in Audio
Use a tripod to prevent camera shake
Denver Open Media: The Difference between A-roll and B-roll footage

Suggestions for story ideas:

· A topic that is important to your school.
Examples: a new principal; a popular teacher is retiring; a class project that's really interesting; overcrowding; teen-related driving accidents; problems with alcohol or drugs; teen pregnancy; bullying.

Don't be afraid to cover sensitive or controversial issues. But, make sure your reporting is truthful, fair and accurate.

· A topic that is important to your community.
Examples: a new development being built; a controversial proposed development nearby; an issue addressed by your local Board of Supervisors or Town Council; local elections.

· An interesting or famous person from your community
Examples: a student from your school has a role in a Broadway play, won the lottery; volunteered in Haiti; a local citizen travels with the president on Air Force One;

Suggested software:
Windows Movie Maker - free (PC)
Adobe Premiere Elements - About $99 (PC)
Ulead VideoStudio $60 (PC)
Final Cut Express - About $99 (Mac)
Final Cut Pro X - About $299 (Mac)
Reel Director - $2 (iPhone)

Tips from Brain Baer, fredericksburg.com Online Managing Editor
Focus on a specific topic: the Redskins, your high school football team, art, etc. 

Write: A blog isn't a blog if you don't fill it regularly with useful posts - at least three times a week.

Invite participation: Allow comments on your blog, answer questions in a timely manner and interact with your readers.

Mix it up: Posts can be two sentences or 250 words. But they should not all be either two sentences or 250 words. A variety of post lengths is best.

Use the medium: Link to other relevant blogs, cite other online sources (and link to them) in your posts, etc.