June 15, 2000
<< Explaining the technical stuff | Be a little deliberate >>
Traditionally, most good stories follow a basic back-and-forth rhythm: Anecdote, then reflection, then anecdote, then reflection. First you tell the audience something to set a scene in a recognizable place, with sympathetic characters, and describe what they're doing. Then you step back and talk about what that means.
You can find this in the Bible, or in a James Baldwin essay, or in a good history book. Too many anecdotes, and the piece can become a meaningless collection of slapped-together scenes. Too much reflection, and it becomes a philosophy paper. You need both, so you can make it both immediate and meaningful to the audience. 1
With the stories we're talking about, reflection is the easy part. You're dealing with issues of science and culture and law and politics, and technically savvy people enjoy taking the mind that they use to think about complex systems and applying that mind to the world at large. But what you can sometimes miss is that for your viewpoints to be communicated effectively, they have to be somehow emotionally relevant to the audience. Keeping in mind that most of your audience probably does not share your strong interest in technology, are there underlying emotions that you share with them, and that you can highlight to gain your audience's sympathy?
Remember that when you're sharing an opinion, chances are good that you're not the only person who thinks that way. The chances are much better that your own personal experiences and emotions can't quite be expressed by others in a similar way, which will make you stand out, to both the journalist, and to that journalist's audience. Don't be afraid of using it.
So if you wrote some code and were later sued for releasing it online, you should talk about how it's not fair, of course. But also talk about how excited you were, before the lawsuit, at the moment you got it to work. If your friend's house gets raided by the Justice Department, talk about the injustice, by all means. But make sure to let people know that this is your friend, and you're not just indignant -- you're upset, and you're concerned.
1 For clarification of this principle I am indebted to Radio: An Illustrated Guide, a fantastic comic book by artist Jessica Abel and This American Life host Ira Glass which is all about how to do your own radio journalism. (More about Radio: An Illustrated Guide)
<< Explaining the technical stuff | Be a little deliberate >>