Editing
Editing Interview Questions
When a staff member of mine told me that she was interested in writing for the first time and that she wanted my help, I took it upon myself to sit down with her and edit her interview questions. Her story focuses on a girl at our school that balances both work and school. I recommended that she conduct her interview as more of a conversation rather in order to make the interviewee feel more comfortable.
Below are the edits I made to her questions. When first reading them, I felt as though they needed more work. I always encourage that when asking questions, we ask them in the most accurate, respectful and responsible way possible.
Coaching
Example: "Variety of Instruction: remote vs in-person learning"
When working with a staff member on a story, I always like to focus on coaching rather than editing. I make sure to sit down with them and discuss the reason behind my suggestions. I also give them constructive feedback while being open, honest and compassionate.
After a staff member approached me about editing her story, I was excited to see her first written piece and since it was her first story, I wanted to help her grow as much as possible in the first edits.
Below is an example of my editing process and a showcase of the edits I made to her story.
When editing a story, I often like to do it in two parts. The first is to coach them through the story edits. When doing this, I like to sit down to walk them through my edits and motivate them to grow as a writer. The second is to finalize the piece so that it can be posted on our website or potentially social media and yearbook.
Below are edits I made to a story where a newcomer in our staff decided to write a story about online vs. in-person learning. I was at her side throughout the writing process, answering questions and guiding her to finish a successful first story.
1. First Draft Edits
When I was first looking over, for sake of keeping her anonymous I will refer to her as Jane Doe, I noticed that her work was lacking in a strong lead and how to make a story flow.
When I sat down with her to talk through my edits, I discussed how to create an effective lead and make a story read smoothly.
2. Second Draft Edits
Doe's work improved drastically after the first time we sat down to discuss the first edits. However, there was still room for improvement prior to the article being published.
After sitting down with her on the second round of edits, she was able to piece together the final draft which is showcased below.
3. Final Draft
Revisiting Past Work
I began writing this story in June days prior to a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest taking place in my community. After a staff member approached me with the story, I felt honored that she thought I would be a good fit for telling it. My goal was to shine a light on what the movement meant and to inform others of what a peaceful protest looked like. This story both challenged me and aided me in growing more as a writer. However, to this day, I know I could have done a better job at writing this story.
1. First Draft
3. Final Draft
2. Edits
4. What I Would Alter
While I am very proud of this story, I believe if given another opportunity to write it, I could have told it in a better way. I would improve the angle. The story was an odd mix of discussing the protest that took place in town, surrounding areas and the world as well. Of course, I believe that discussing cities that are nearby and protest that are taking place every day, I think it would have made it hit closer to home if I focused more on the protest that took place in our own community.
Secondly, I would have found better sources. From interviewing the woman, Marti Sinclair, that held the protest to speakers D'Andre Phillips Coble, Journey Jaramillo, and more, I believe that if I had interviewed these individuals my story, it would have been more powerful and personal for members of my community.
Overall, I'm proud of the story, but there is room for growth.
Editng my own work
When editing my own content, whether it be a video or podcast, I like to work smarter, not harder. With already knowing my topic, angle, information, sources and more, I'm able to walk into my editing process prepared and ready to go.
One of my favorite parts about Multimedia based journalism is the editing process. Below are tutorials on how I go about editing my podcasts and videos. Enjoy.