Dogs bark (Or how to infiltrate your newsroom with good writing)

By DICK HUGHES
Salem Statesman Journal

You're back in the same old grind. So how do you push good writing? How do you nudge your editors, and the rest of the newsroom, along? Here are 21 ideas from other newsrooms, compiled for a National Writers' Workshop. You can use many on your own. Some need editors' backing (which is always helpful). Choose what's best for your situation. Most cost little money, so the boss can't say, ""We can't afford that."" But remember, dogs bark, so don't expect them to purr -- not to begin with, at least.

1. Form an ongoing writers group. Give one another the support, ideas and constructive suggestions you don't always get from your editors.

2. Set up short-term, four- to seven-week writer circles, with a leader/mentor and three to seven writers who get together each week to critique one another's work. (This might lead to a regular writers group.)

3. Make copies of the best tips from National Writers Workshop sessions. Pass them out. Hold a brown bag discussion about what you learned. Invite the editors. Do this whenever someone attends an outside workshop or convention.

4. Buy a tape (or ask your publication to) of your favorite writing workshop or speaker - one that translates well to audio. Listen to it when you're commuting, exercising or pretending to be transcribing an interview. Loan it to colleagues.

5. Convince your newsroom to start a writers' library, and promote it. If the money-handling folks are sluggish, start your own. Shop used bookstores and library book sales. Pick up good books about writing and examples of great writing. (Keep your receipts for the day when the light bulb goes off and the editors reimburse you. Heck, give the editors a book. Tell them you know how much they value good writing.) Clear off a desk or shelves in the middle of the newsroom for the library. Tell people to bring in the best article, book or magazine story they've read. Encourage staff members to browse and borrow.

6. Trade places. Offer to work a few days on the copy desk or a different beat. You'll gain new perspectives -- it's a cheap break from your regular job -- and you'll share some ideas on writing.

7. Get on the mailing list for writing newsletters. (Jack Hart at The Oregonian puts out one of the best, ""Second Takes."")

8. Buy ""Coaching Writers"" by Roy Peter Clark and Don Fry. Read it. Share a copy with your editor. Take him or her to lunch or coffee to talk about it. Want to make sure you have the boss' attention? Offer to pick up the tab (save the receipt).

9. Find a writing coach -- an editor, colleague or friend who's good at listening and asking the right questions and who can help you stay sane.

10. Set aside time each day, even a few minutes, to work on something special.

11. Bring cookies or pizza for the copy desk or editors. (That'll surprise them.) Get them to talk about what drives them crazy, and excites them, about the writing in your newsroom.

12. Talk up good writing. Compliment colleagues when you see a great lead or story. Get articles on writing/reporting from the Poynter Institute website, the Freedom Foundation and other journalism organizations. Photocopy the best ones and hand them out with a personal note. (""After your story on ..., I thought you'd be interested in this."") Put notes about writing, or a daily writing tip, on a bulletin board, in a staff newsletter or e-mail, or in a ""Whatsup"" discussion file in your computer system.

13. Rotate critiques led by reporters, copy editors and other staff members, not just editors. Include interns and new staff members, who have fresh views. Make it a short daily oral or written critique, or ask them to review a week's work and focus on an area of their choice.

14. Blanket the board. Post examples of good work from your publication and from other ones. Line the hall leading to the bathrooms with your and your competitors' editions. Ask vacationing staff members to bring back papers from around the country. Post them, along with your edition from the same day, so people can examine the writing, story play, etc.

15. Get your team, bureau or newsroom to set up monthly brown bag sessions with local experts on subjects to build reporting expertise -- how local budget laws work, how to read annual reports, how to use the local library to research stories, a look at guns confiscated by cops.

16. Set up monthly visits to news-making sites for copy editors, and other writers, so they experience the sights and sounds of what's in the news. (They'll be more likely to respect -- and sharpen -- the sense of place in your stories.)

17. Add a section on writing -- tips, good examples, links -- on your newsroom website or start your own. Get a local college or writers organization to participate.

18. Take stories and write them based on different structures -- inverted pyramid, first person, narrative/chronological, bumper sticker, point of view, book chapters, radical clarity.

19. Work with management (you need their support and their dollars to make this fly) to launch a newsroom writing program. Bring in speakers from other media (use your NWW contacts), colleges, libraries and the community. Set up discussions by speakerphone with the nation's top writers; many will give up 45 minutes to talk about writing. Create a staff-led monthly awards program to honor excellent writing and other good work.

20. Tithe the time. Ask each editor to commit a specific amount of his or her time each week to training staff members, including developing good writing.

21. Reward good behavior. Tell editors when they've done an especially good job of coaching or editing. Thank copy editors for a wonderful headline or great catch on an error. Tell the story.

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