Discussion Questions

1. The chapter discusses how to organize a basic story, an exercise that begins with finding the focus or the narrative thread (see pages 129-134). Discuss how the focus of a story might change, depending on whether the writer had pictures to accompany the words. For instance, how might a newspaper story about an old man who grows gladiolus differ from a broadcast version with colorful pictures?

2. The "Writing Tips" box on page 138 talks about the inverted pyramid structure. Take a familiar story, Little Red Riding Hood, for instance, and reorganize it using the inverted pyramid approach. Have the class tell several stories, using the traditional or chronological approach, and then the no-nonsense, inverted pyramid version.

3. Part of Chapter 6 discusses how to bring the pieces of a story together (see pages 139-143). Discuss the various transition techniques of moving the story along, from one sentence to the next, from one paragraph to another. How would the transitions vary from a print story to a broadcast version? Are there visual transitions? Identify several.

4. One of the ways to keep readers or viewers interested in a story is to save a surprise or suspenseful moment for the middle (pages 144-145). Watch a local news broadcast or read the local news section of the paper and identify some of the surprises or "gold coins" good writers scatter in the middle of their stories.

5. Good writers use vivid details and language to tell their stories (pages 145-148). Choose some common verbs and then identify some more colorful and descriptive substitutes: walk can become amble or scurry or stroll or even sashay.