I'm ill and have to cancel our class tomorrow, Thursday, Sept.
29.
Please take the weekend off, or re-read Ross' "Portrait of Hemingway."
Your exam on the book will be on Tuesday instead.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Examples of Immersion Journalism
Excerpt from A.J.Jacobs' The Year Of Living Biblically
Excerpt from Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed
An immersion in gluttony: Life in the Fat Lane
Lillian Ross/Portrait of Hemingway
Doug Heuck, I Am Homeless
Excerpt from Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed
An immersion in gluttony: Life in the Fat Lane
Lillian Ross/Portrait of Hemingway
Doug Heuck, I Am Homeless
Clarifying: What is Immersion Journalism?
Immersion requires that you choose a situation -- any situation to which you can gain reasonable access. Then you enter the situation and report from it, on it.
The situation could be anything, really -- a workplace, a public event, the life of a public or private figure (with permission, of course), an activity you've always been curious about but never tried.
Once you choose your situation, you immerse yourself in it and in the lives of the people/person involved. You'll use firsthand reportage to cover the story. You'll use research and backgrounding to put the story in context for both yourself and your readers. You'll use basic narrative techniques -- scene, dialogue, description, luminous detail -- to bring the experience alive for readers.
Immersion is a personal kind of reportage -- the I in the story is the I who's reporting the story. However, it's unlike Gonzo journalism in that it's not completely personality- or ego-driven. It is less focused on you, your life, your feelings and more focused on the experience itself.
Examples of popular recent immersion journalism include Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights.
The situation could be anything, really -- a workplace, a public event, the life of a public or private figure (with permission, of course), an activity you've always been curious about but never tried.
Once you choose your situation, you immerse yourself in it and in the lives of the people/person involved. You'll use firsthand reportage to cover the story. You'll use research and backgrounding to put the story in context for both yourself and your readers. You'll use basic narrative techniques -- scene, dialogue, description, luminous detail -- to bring the experience alive for readers.
Immersion is a personal kind of reportage -- the I in the story is the I who's reporting the story. However, it's unlike Gonzo journalism in that it's not completely personality- or ego-driven. It is less focused on you, your life, your feelings and more focused on the experience itself.
Examples of popular recent immersion journalism include Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Reminders about Immersion Pieces/Guidelines
Your proposals for your immersion pieces should be very specific, very thorough, very thought-out.
Remember: An immersion piece requires you to go into a new environment, observe and report from that place, and then write about the experience.
If you're not clear about this from discussions we've had in class, please review the Jacobi text, particularly the sections on information gathering and reportage. They're very helpful.
Don't try to reinvent the format -- simply pick a subject you're interested in, pick a place that will allow you to report on that subject, and pick something and someone (source) that will allow you a great deal of access.
Your final immersion piece will be somewhat similar to what Lillian Ross does with Hemingway. She followed him for a few days, then wrote about him. You'll do the same thing with the subject you identify.
Please look closely at Portrait of Hemingway and notice Ross' technique. Then think about what kind of subject you might choose that would allow for a similar kind of reportage. You won't necessarily end up writing an extended profile piece, but your method of reportage will be the same.
Your proposals should include the following things:
* The subject you'd like to immerse yourself in (literally immersing -- meaning you'll be present and reporting from a specific place on a specific topic)and why it might be of interest to your target audience
* The audience you envision for the piece (target audience/target magazine/s)
* The approach you'll take (hands-on, fly-on-the-wall, traditional reportage with interviews, etc.)
* The sources -- with names and contact information -- you'll use in the story. You should have at least two sources, but more is better. Not all of them need to end up in the piece, though. Some can provide background, context.
* Degree of access you'll have to your subject (permission for hands-on participation, permission to observe, permission for extended interviews, etc.)
Format your proposal by using the above requirements as subheads, then insert your specific information.
Remember: An immersion piece requires you to go into a new environment, observe and report from that place, and then write about the experience.
If you're not clear about this from discussions we've had in class, please review the Jacobi text, particularly the sections on information gathering and reportage. They're very helpful.
Don't try to reinvent the format -- simply pick a subject you're interested in, pick a place that will allow you to report on that subject, and pick something and someone (source) that will allow you a great deal of access.
Your final immersion piece will be somewhat similar to what Lillian Ross does with Hemingway. She followed him for a few days, then wrote about him. You'll do the same thing with the subject you identify.
Please look closely at Portrait of Hemingway and notice Ross' technique. Then think about what kind of subject you might choose that would allow for a similar kind of reportage. You won't necessarily end up writing an extended profile piece, but your method of reportage will be the same.
Your proposals should include the following things:
* The subject you'd like to immerse yourself in (literally immersing -- meaning you'll be present and reporting from a specific place on a specific topic)and why it might be of interest to your target audience
* The audience you envision for the piece (target audience/target magazine/s)
* The approach you'll take (hands-on, fly-on-the-wall, traditional reportage with interviews, etc.)
* The sources -- with names and contact information -- you'll use in the story. You should have at least two sources, but more is better. Not all of them need to end up in the piece, though. Some can provide background, context.
* Degree of access you'll have to your subject (permission for hands-on participation, permission to observe, permission for extended interviews, etc.)
Format your proposal by using the above requirements as subheads, then insert your specific information.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Hemingway: The Paris Review Interview
Before Rolling Stone became the center of masterful interviews, there was The Paris Review. And there was this interview with Ernest Hemingway.
Please read this as well as Ross' portrait. We'll compare and contrast next week before Thursday's quiz.
Please read this as well as Ross' portrait. We'll compare and contrast next week before Thursday's quiz.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Love, Loss and What I Wore
So fashion week was so last week.
Here's another fashion trend in pop culture you can connect with:
Love Loss and What I Wore, the play.
Here's another fashion trend in pop culture you can connect with:
Love Loss and What I Wore, the play.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Adjusted Schedule for the Week
Hi Everyone -- Since we're a day behind, we'll adjust the schedule this week (Sept. 20, Sept. 22) accordingly.
On Tuesday, Sept. 20: Workshop fashion-week pieces and discuss news-link tie-ins and ways to match your story ideas to current events/trends.
On Thursday, Sept. 22: Quiz on Jacobi Chapters 1-3. We'll review your proposals for your mini-immersion pieces. Time permitting, we'll also begin to discuss Portrait of Hemingway, as well as interviewing techniques and profile-writing. (Quiz on the book next Thursday.)
On Tuesday, Sept. 20: Workshop fashion-week pieces and discuss news-link tie-ins and ways to match your story ideas to current events/trends.
On Thursday, Sept. 22: Quiz on Jacobi Chapters 1-3. We'll review your proposals for your mini-immersion pieces. Time permitting, we'll also begin to discuss Portrait of Hemingway, as well as interviewing techniques and profile-writing. (Quiz on the book next Thursday.)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Assignments/Schedule: Week 3
Tuesday: Lecture on concepts from Chapter 3 in Jacobi -- Focus, Interest
Finish workshop of how-to pieces
Thursday: Quiz on readings/concepts (Jacobi chapters 1-3). Workshop fashion week pieces. Target magazines for possible publication.
Read: Portrait of Hemingway.
Write: A proposal for your mini-immersion piece. Bring copies to share in class next Tuesday.
Finish workshop of how-to pieces
Thursday: Quiz on readings/concepts (Jacobi chapters 1-3). Workshop fashion week pieces. Target magazines for possible publication.
Read: Portrait of Hemingway.
Write: A proposal for your mini-immersion piece. Bring copies to share in class next Tuesday.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Assignments for Week 2
Please be sure you're already up to date with assignments. Please post responses as assigned.
Read Chapters 3 & 4 in Jacobi.
Write: Fashion week tie-in piece/guidelines per Tuesday's in-class lecture.
Prepare for a concepts and readings quiz during Week 3/Thursday.
Read Chapters 3 & 4 in Jacobi.
Write: Fashion week tie-in piece/guidelines per Tuesday's in-class lecture.
Prepare for a concepts and readings quiz during Week 3/Thursday.
Friday, September 2, 2011
How to Prepare for Workshop on Tuesday
Please bring hard copies of your 500-word How-To pieces to share in workshop on Tuesday. 15 copies should do it. Also please bring an e-copy of your piece to class for editing work.
Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! (Anyone have a how-to piece on how to celebrate Labor Day?)
Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! (Anyone have a how-to piece on how to celebrate Labor Day?)
The Insider Wants You
The Insider, our online campus newspaper, is looking for photographers. Please e-mail Brian Estadt, the Insider advisor, at brianestadt@gmail.com if you're interested. The Insider can provide camera equipment and training, as needed.
There are openings for specialty writers of all kinds. If you'd be interested in writing a column, doing regular features on local culture, reviewing music and movies and more, please send Brian a note. Some of the pieces you'll do for our class will be a natural fit for The Insider, too.
Publishing your work in The Insider now is a great step toward building a portfolio that can help you get a job in journalism or public relations later on. It's also a great way to connect with other writers and the campus community.
Oh, and there are those 15 minutes of fame Andy Warhol always talked about.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
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