Article archive / July 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 7. Source pages: 2.
Tips for Writing a “Best Feature Story” (or How to Pull a Rabbit Out of a Silk Purse) by J. Nelson
I’m the last person to give advice about how to write a story worthy of winning a Best Feature award. I’ve never even rated an honorable mention. No one at the paper has either. I’ve said to myself, no problem, not every person is suited to every task. I’m obviously an investigative sort.
And then here comes this year and a first place in Best Feature Story. It was a total surprise for me and a real delight to share the experience with two colleagues, Dr. Susan Andrews and Dr. John Magee.
True to form, I want to investigate this oddity and explore just how it happened. Maybe I can learn something that others could use–– because, psychologists, whether we admit it or not, have trouble writing down the bones.
First tip: Choose a really big, worthy topic.
In 2015 Susan (Suzie) Andrews, who writes our column on Stress Solutions, attended the Press Association convention with me and Archimedes. The three of us had the honor of hearing a keynote address by Morley Piper. Mr. Piper, a retired executive director of the New England Newspaper Association, is a WWII Veteran. He spoke about his experiences as part of the 29th Infantry in the Allied invasion on D-Day in 1944.
It was one of those powerful, pin-drop type addresses, with poignant, specific details that riveted us to our seats. He pulled us back through time and into history, and put us on that beach in 1944. He made us feel events both horrible and beautiful, and when he was finished with us, we were all wiping our eyes and rising out of our chairs to applaud. I don’t know what we were applauding––the heroes on that beach, the lost ghosts, the terrible majesty of war. I think we all knew what Morley wanted from us––he wanted us not to forget. And then Suzie turned to me and said, “We have to write about our fathers.” Suzie and I had briefly talked about our WWII fathers and while I was a little doubtful that I could do a good job, when your volunteer columnist in your shoestring budget newspaper tells you she wants to write together, you say, “Absolutely!”
I suggested we ask John Magee because I’d reported on him before and knew he had a story to tell, and Suzie gladly agreed. So we pressed John into service.
Then we were three, with a topic so big and close to our hearts that I wondered how we could possibly write it as well as it deserved to be written. The topic itself caused me the writer’s blue devils: timidity, self-consciousness, and the general idea of not knowing how to approach the topic or why any reader would care what I had to say on the matter.
But the three of us devised a plan, structured it into sections, and gave it a whirl. Tip #2: Give things a whirl.
I was buoyed by my co-authors who were passionate about our topic. We looked at old letters and documents, talked to relatives, read some history, asked and answered our own questions, working separately and together. Tip #3: Collaborate but retain your own voice and style. Be salad, not hash.
Only a fraction of what each of us discovered went into the final drafts. (“It’s too long,” I kept complaining, to which Suzie and John said, “So what!”).
For me, I discovered things I cared about that I never cared about before, things that I didn’t know I cared about, things that seemed to change in the lens of time, the lens of history, the lens of my own maturing years. Some aspects about my father had faded and some came to me in sharp relief, a shifting pattern of perceptions, fascinating in itself. I came away with a gift––of more understanding, acceptance and forgiveness.
The Press Association gave us a first place for the feature. It moved the judges too, “A wonderfully intimate portrayal.” We chose wisely, it was a big topic. And we wrote honestly. I’ve heard it said over and over, all good writing is about telling the truth. Tip #4: Write the truth.
We had a fantastic time at the convention, the rest of the Psychology Times staff was happy for us. I will treasure the experience always.
Tip #5: Sometimes it is a real joy to work with other psychologists.
Suzie, me and John. (Photo by Yael Banai)
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.