Through my trials in the JMC program, I've learned a lot about Journalism, which, I guess, is to be expected. But I've acutally learned a decent amount of skills that'll probably keep with me.
Writing has been a strong point of mine since about the 11th grade in High School but since then I've been able to temper it, successfully being able to bend it and shape it to my will. Whereas in High School I would be at work on a piece of writing for a very long time.
I've also learned through the JMC department that I'm not going to have an easy time ahead of me. I got into the program late Sophomore year, which put me at a disadvantage for classes and credits. My Junior year has been devoted to the program, I've never been so immersed in a series of classes like I have been this year. It gave me a needed boost to my enthusiasm and cut down on my procrastination.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Not feeling the Jubilee
As an assignment in class we wrote about the Communication Jubilee that UNC's School of Communication put together. Although we had the time to do research before the event, I wasn't very attentive about this story at all. That may've been the most difficult thing about this story.
The easiest was doing the reporting, which is probably also the easiest step for most story writing.
The easiest was doing the reporting, which is probably also the easiest step for most story writing.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Day-in-the-life story commentary
For our day-in-the-life story I chose to write about Derek Capo and his "adventure" of turning in his Art entrance portfolio.
The most difficult thing about writing this story was that I kept going over the word limit. I took a good seven pages of notes about Derek Capo and what he did during his day. I was sad to have to cut so much of it out.
The easiest thing about the story was writing it. I had taken all of the notes and the words seemed to pour from my notebook to my word processor. Cliched? Yeah.
From the research I did on this story I learned that I really want to take art classes again. The atmosphere is rich with humor and sarcasm, it was nice being back in that setting.
While writing and rewriting the story I learned that it's much harder to keep tenses on a feature story as opposed to a news story. Which sounds weird coming from a college student who is versed in english and writing that accursed language.
I think my observations were really good. I had Derek read over it and he had said "It's like I'm in that day again, how awful."
This story was rich was english "no-no's" in the fact that I switch tenses... a lot.
The most difficult thing about writing this story was that I kept going over the word limit. I took a good seven pages of notes about Derek Capo and what he did during his day. I was sad to have to cut so much of it out.
The easiest thing about the story was writing it. I had taken all of the notes and the words seemed to pour from my notebook to my word processor. Cliched? Yeah.
From the research I did on this story I learned that I really want to take art classes again. The atmosphere is rich with humor and sarcasm, it was nice being back in that setting.
While writing and rewriting the story I learned that it's much harder to keep tenses on a feature story as opposed to a news story. Which sounds weird coming from a college student who is versed in english and writing that accursed language.
I think my observations were really good. I had Derek read over it and he had said "It's like I'm in that day again, how awful."
This story was rich was english "no-no's" in the fact that I switch tenses... a lot.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Profile story redux.
For my Profile story in Journalsim 410 I wrote about the galleries at UNC that put on a show about “Found art”
The most difficult thing about writing the story was writing it. This was my first real feature story.
The easiest part about writing this story was talking to the Art students, They love to explain the meaning and design of their art.
From my research, I found when the found art movement may have started becoming an art form.
I learned about feature stories, nut graphs and how to write the perfect feature lead.
The best thing about my story? I am really fond of my intro and conclusion paragraphs, those are usually the things that kill my writing.
What could I have done better? Taking a picture to help me with describing the artwork. I made some decent observations while in the gallery but none that were good enough to include in my story. If I had those photographs I could've gone back and added appropriate detail to the observations and added them into the story.
The most difficult thing about writing the story was writing it. This was my first real feature story.
The easiest part about writing this story was talking to the Art students, They love to explain the meaning and design of their art.
From my research, I found when the found art movement may have started becoming an art form.
I learned about feature stories, nut graphs and how to write the perfect feature lead.
The best thing about my story? I am really fond of my intro and conclusion paragraphs, those are usually the things that kill my writing.
What could I have done better? Taking a picture to help me with describing the artwork. I made some decent observations while in the gallery but none that were good enough to include in my story. If I had those photographs I could've gone back and added appropriate detail to the observations and added them into the story.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Journalism +1
Every now and again I'll be asked the simplest of questions pertaining to my major, "Why did you choose Journalism?"
Well, this is one question I never want to forget the answer to. I enjoy people's stories. Who doesn't? But it feels rewarding to walk away from an interview knowing more about that person. If you've done it right, you've forged a personal connection with that person. A small spark that will initiate further conversations and quite possibly gain a little respect in that other person's eyes.
I recently observed an art major at UNC for a story I'm writing in my 410 class, part of this observation was held during a drawing class taught by Dan Rios. Rios opened up his class with a brief lecture on the parallel structure of the human face and the lecture evolved into students from the class picking partners and drawing their faces.
Well, during this class, we started talking about how UNC is seemingly veering away from being a "student-oriented" school and Rios brought up the example of teaching at State University of New York. He was teaching pottery at the time and was virtually in his studio all day and night and one night around two a.m., he gets a call from one of his students. This student had gotten plastered drunk and called him about his pottery class. Rios invited the student over to see if he could help out at all and partly because he wanted to see that had a safe place to stay while she was drunk.
Once she arrived it turned out the she was pretty high as well. During the time she spent there, Rios showed her how to "throw" on a pottery wheel, the techniques, the subtle details that could make or break any piece on a wheel and somehow, amazingly, she retained all of this. She became one of his best students thanks to a stoned and drunk phone call. Apparently she also went on to win one of the purchase awards from the school's art show as well.
It's a small story, and something vaguely relating to a "student-oriented" school but that's what makes journalism appealing to me. You get small little clips into a person's life you'd otherwise not know. One more face becomes visible in the crowd of people you push through.
Well, this is one question I never want to forget the answer to. I enjoy people's stories. Who doesn't? But it feels rewarding to walk away from an interview knowing more about that person. If you've done it right, you've forged a personal connection with that person. A small spark that will initiate further conversations and quite possibly gain a little respect in that other person's eyes.
I recently observed an art major at UNC for a story I'm writing in my 410 class, part of this observation was held during a drawing class taught by Dan Rios. Rios opened up his class with a brief lecture on the parallel structure of the human face and the lecture evolved into students from the class picking partners and drawing their faces.
Well, during this class, we started talking about how UNC is seemingly veering away from being a "student-oriented" school and Rios brought up the example of teaching at State University of New York. He was teaching pottery at the time and was virtually in his studio all day and night and one night around two a.m., he gets a call from one of his students. This student had gotten plastered drunk and called him about his pottery class. Rios invited the student over to see if he could help out at all and partly because he wanted to see that had a safe place to stay while she was drunk.
Once she arrived it turned out the she was pretty high as well. During the time she spent there, Rios showed her how to "throw" on a pottery wheel, the techniques, the subtle details that could make or break any piece on a wheel and somehow, amazingly, she retained all of this. She became one of his best students thanks to a stoned and drunk phone call. Apparently she also went on to win one of the purchase awards from the school's art show as well.
It's a small story, and something vaguely relating to a "student-oriented" school but that's what makes journalism appealing to me. You get small little clips into a person's life you'd otherwise not know. One more face becomes visible in the crowd of people you push through.
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