Linda Lutton EWA 2018 How I Did the Story WHY I did the story Ten years reporting on Relationship between poverty and test scores Dramatic school reforms Chicago neighborhoods The bigness of the small story ID: 721474
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Slide1
“The View from Room 205”
Linda Lutton / EWA 2018
How I Did the StorySlide2
WHY
I did the story
Ten years reporting on:
Relationship between poverty and test scores
Dramatic school reforms
Chicago neighborhoodsSlide3
“The bigness of the small story” -alex kotlowitz
[small stories can illuminate the giant complexities of society]
Slide4
Immersion Reporting
Lots of time in one place
(
a
t
Penn/Lawndale - 80 visits with tape)
360 degree
characters (include humor!)
Gets you beyond pat
answers, beyond “interview” tapeEmpathy
This is the type of nonfiction that I indulge in, hanging around people. You don’t necessarily interview them, but you become part of the atmosphere.”
-gay taleseSlide5Slide6
Challenges [solutions]
SO much tape /no clear narrative [write vignettes]
I didn’t want the teacher or any single kid to be the central character
[use sections. deal wholly with particular kids in a section, so people don’t have to remember five kids through the whole piece ] Slide7
The biggest thing that happens in the entire year – your obvious narrative climax – you want to downplay.
[report what you see. put things in context. tell subjects ahead of time what is coming]
What you witness in real life does not match the data
[know the research/data] Slide8
wbez.org/room205Linda Lutton
llutton@wbez.org312-948-4608