easy to understandinggood grammar
Reading Homework:
Read the following three examples of interview-based articles.
The first two are feature articles published in major magazines or newspapers. Marcum’s article won the Pulitzer Prize, the highest prize in the U.S. for journalists. The third article is a student paper published in the DU Writing Program’s magazine
WRIT Large where I recommend you submit some of your own work for consideration in next year’s issue:
·
Michael Finkel’s “The Blind Man Who Taught Himself to See”
https://www.mensjournal.com/features/the-blind-man-who-taught-himself-to-see-20120504/ (Links to an external site.)
· Dianna Marcum’s “Dreams Die in Drought”
https://www.pulitzer.org/files/2015/feature-writing/marcum/01marcum2015 (Links to an external site.)
· Sava, Maggie. “The Places In Between.” Writ Large.
https://writlargedu.wordpress.com/2016/02/24/the-places-in-between-sava/ (Links to an external site.)
Discussion Board:
1. (8 points/4 per article) Choose two of the above articles, and for each of these write a paragraph responding to the following: What do you see as the primary purpose of this article? What was your personal response to the article? What larger target audience do you think would find this article interesting? How does the author make the person/people who are the subject of the article come alive for readers? You might consider, for example, how the author includes quotes from the interviews, dialogue, description, historical or other context, and/or images. [Give a few specific examples.]
2.
(11 points)
Write a query letter directed towards the editor of a specific magazine or newspaper in which you pitch an idea for your feature article.
(Note: You are not necessarily tied to this subject. You can still change topics if you think of a better one or if you are not able to schedule the needed interview/s.)
Read the following sample query letter with advice on how to structure a query letter for a feature based on interview research:
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/sample-magazine-query-or-pitch-letter-1360426 (Links to an external site.)
Following the heading directed towards a particular magazine or newspaper, the author suggests a four paragraph structure with the following information in each:
1) Hook: Start with a hook paragraph intended to get editors interested in your subject (in this case the person who is to be interviewed)
2) Scope: Describe the intended scope of your article, including the length and focus.
3) Sources/Research Methods: Explain the research methods you will use, such as conducting an interview and/or any secondary sources you plan to consult.
4) About You: Describe your own background and, if relevant, your qualifications for writing about this particular subject.
1.
(1 point)
What feedback about your project can I provide at this point? Write at least one question.
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ReplyReply to 2/3 Feature Reading Response and Query
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Sydnie Vidal
Sydnie Vidal
11:20amFeb 2 at 11:20am
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1. Article response:
The primary purpose of the article The Blind Man Who Taught Himself to See by Michael Finkel is to describe Daniel Kalish’s experience with echolocation and how echolocation is seen in the blind community. It follows his story on how he started using echolocation and how important of a tool it has become for him. It also describes how he is spreading his learning to others in the blind community. I really liked this article and thought it was extremely interesting. It was truly amazing to read about this skill the human body can achieve because in everyday life majority of people don’t tap into this ability. The article kept me intrigued throughout its entirety and it piqued my interest on human use of echolocation. The author makes Kalish come alive in this article because he doesn’t just focus on his achievements or the things he says, he talks about smaller things like his mannerisms and how he carries and perceives himself. This is done in some of the first few sentences of his article where he describes Kalish’s response to Finkel’s parking job. This immediately brings Kalish to life because it shows how he uses echolocation to notice life’s smaller details like how far a car is parked from a curb. When Finkel described Kalish’s mannerisms in the restaurant this was another instance that exemplified his character. It gave readers a look into his daily life and how he functions day to day using echolocation to get the lay out of a place. Both descriptions presented Kalish as a human and not just this imaginative person being interviewed that we can’t connect to.
The article Dream Die in Draught by Diana Marcum follows Francisco Galvez and his experiences in the California draught and how it affected him. The purpose of this article is to bring attention to the severity of the draught and how it affects the lives of those in the farming industry specifically. I really liked the authors approach to representing the draught through focusing on a singular person’s experience. This makes the issue more personal, and the reader can sympathize with Galvez and his experiences. This is a much more effective approach than just giving a general overview of the draught and how it effects the general public. This article makes Galvez come alive by documenting the more intimate parts of his life like interactions with his family. One of the first instances of this is seen on page three where Galvez’s wife tells him she is pregnant and then apologizes for it since he can’t find work. Galvez responds saying a baby is a happy thing and he will figure it out. This shows that Galvez keeps an optimistic attitude despite his struggles. It also exemplifies how the draught has affected families financially and emotionally. Marcum also uses this tactic in the last paragraph. She describes Galvez’s experience announcing to his family that they might have to move to Texas to find work. His kids do not like this idea and refuses to move. This makes the reader empathize with Galvez and deepen their understanding of his relationship with his kids. Both descriptions help readers paint Galvez as a person because we get a deeper look into his life and how the drought has affected it.
2. Query Letter
:
Dear Editor,
In the United States, many states are used to getting hit with winter storms throughout the colder months of the year. Even those who don’t get hit with storms tend to end up with a few inches of snow on the ground. Most find joy in the snow, but for some snow can be a horrific thing. In February 2021 Texas was hit with five different storm systems with the entire 268,597 squared miles of Texas being put under a winter storm warning. This was a historic storm for the state, and it was the first time the City of Austin ever issued a Wind Chill Warning. The state mandated power outages and left some without power for days. A total of 246 Texans died due to effects from the storm.
I propose a 1,500-word interview article re-visiting the events of Texas’ 2021 winter storm through a smaller lens, the lens of two teenagers who experienced the storm firsthand. One from Houston, the other from Austin, they both share some similarities on how the storm affected them but had different experiences overall. The article will give a first-hand look into how the storm affected the day-to-day life of the average Texan, but it will also show the more personal experiences of family life and community struggle.
Eleanor Carter from Houston, and Hank Lewis from Austin have both grown up and Texas and can give an accurate representation on how Texan life changed February of 2021. They both agreed to share their more intimate stories of their experience with the storm and how it affected them on a personal level. On top of this, the article will also include statistics from the National Weather Service to give background on the scope of the storm. I will also include snippets of articles from NBC and CBC news to develop a stronger understanding of the storm for readers who are unfamiliar with the specifics.
I am a student at The University of Denver with experience in the journalism area of writing with pieces in the op-ed category and travel category. I also have experience in the environmental field with learning on the specifics of weather patterns and natural disasters. Also, as someone from the east coast I can offer a balancing perspective with my own experience in winter storms and what made Texas’ storm unique compared to that of typical new England storms. Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Sydnie Vidal
3. I am wondering if my intended interview article will be too broad of a subject and also if it is a disadvantage that I am not interviewing professionals in the weather field.
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Trevor Paulus
Trevor Paulus (He/Him/His)
3:56pmFeb 2 at 3:56pm
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1.
· Michael Finkel’s “The Blind Man Who Taught Himself to See”
I think the main purpose of this article is to bring awareness to blindness through Kish’s perseverance and ability to live a normal life despite not being able to see. There are many anecdotes about Kish using the echolocation abilities that allow him to sense things around him before he could feel them with his hands or cane. This article made me feel inspired and more socially aware of the limitations the Blind community is set to, rather than celebrating the intelligence and perseverance of the Blind community. I think this article is not for a single target audience and should be read by everyone. It is important for everyone to increase knowledge and awareness for the Blind Community.
· Dianna Marcum’s “Dreams Die in Drought”
I think the main purpose of this feature article was to document the struggles that migrant workers face all across the country but especially in areas of drought. Another important takeaway from this article was the sense of optimism from Galves throughout the whole article and his sense of love of family. He loved his family more than anything and did everything in his power to make enough money for his children’s education. The Article left me feeling a bit heartbroken for this man and his family because he is trying his hardest but it is a hard life for Migrant workers across America but he always kept a positive mindset for the sanity of his family. I think the target audience for this article is those who are passionate about migrant rights, and other migrant workers.
2. Query Letter
Ava Peters Never thought shed hear the devastating news that her little sister would have cancer at such a young age, but she knew she would do everything in her power to fight for her sister’s life. So when she found out her bone marrow was a match to save her sister she knew she was going to donate her own bone marrow to save her sister.
I plan on writing a short feature story on my friend’s journey with her sister’s cancer, with a strong focus on how the bone marrow transplant brought them closer and changed their relationship.
I am going to interview her about her experience with this and research the type of cancer her sister had
I have experience with Journalistic writing because I took a journalism writing class in High school and was also on the school newspaper.
