Making the effort to promote good writing

An hour with a writing coach makes her focus on the beginning of the end

By Kelly Daniel

In late September 2000, The Poynter Institute’s Don Fry spent a week as a writing coach at the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman. During one of his sessions, I found myself acting as his guinea pig. That hour sold me on why it’s worthwhile to bring in someone like Don.

Though he’d known me less than two days, he spotted my weakness quickly: Although I believe kickers are important tools in storytelling, I always believed the beginnings are more important. He taught me to leave some punch for the end of the story (but more about that at the end of this story).

Don spent five days at the paper, leading six sessions a day. He worked mostly with assigning editors — trickle-down coaching.

So, as a reporter, I was a bit surprised to be the center of attention.

Don preaches “long coaching,” which involves having a reporter and editor delve deeply into what makes the reporter tick.

Long coaching takes about an hour with each reporter. The editor should ask general questions about the reporter’s interests and personality rather than specific questions about a story or beat. The session is an intensive search for the reporter’s motivations.

Trust is paramount: If done correctly, the editor will hear the reporter reveal personal insecurities and worries about how he or she works. The editor must agree never to use this information on a job evaluation or in retaliation. In return, the reporter must be honest.

Long coaching starts with banter about where the reporter grew up, why the reporter got into newspapers and so on.

Don and I chatted as if we were the only ones in the room. But we had 12 pairs of eyes watching as other editors took notes. I was acutely aware of them at the start but forgot about them as Don began asking precise questions.

Do you write in sections, or do you have to have a lead first and write top to bottom? How do you approach sources? Are you a more even-tempered, plug-away type or a bulldog who snarls and gets what he wants immediately? How do you take notes? How do you decide what the kicker will be?

A-ha. My answer on that last question — I guess I hunt for a quote that’s good but that I didn’t use higher, I said — unearthed the flaw. Why don’t I decide the kicker first, since that’s the part readers remember most, Don asked. I debated him on that point: I’ve never had anyone call and say they loved the way my story ended; I’ve had them call and say they loved the beginning.

“But,” Don countered, “if you aren’t paying much attention to ending, why would they?” I smiled. He was right.

For the rest of our session, we talked endings. We talked about marking those good quotes or incidents that are candidates for kickers in my notebook while I’m doing the reporting. We talked about shifting attributions to the middle of a quote.

When the session was over, I felt exhilarated. I wanted to go write — right away. And I wanted my fellow reporters to feel what it’s like to get the one thing every scribe wants: One hour of an editor’s time, uninterrupted and focused on helping him improve.

Daniel is a reporter at the Austin American-Statesman.