For journalists like Nazario, who work on long-term projects, staying focused throughout the process can sometimes be difficult.
With complex stories comes an abundance of information and sifting that information, can be a daunting task. By the time she sat down to write “Orphans of Addiction,” Nazario says she had between 40 and 50 notebooks filled with notes.
Here are tips from Nazario on how she conceptualizes and focuses complex stories.
Conceptualizing and Research
Aim for big topics that affect people in their everyday lives.
Ask yourself, “Why should any reader care about this story?” and “What does it mean to them?”
Talk to people in the academic arena.
Many times these people will shed light on trends in the topic you are writing about or give you more context on the issue. This will aid in determining the parameters and the scope of your story.
Write a formal story or series proposal.
A formal proposal not only will help when you are presenting the story idea to your editor, it is also keeps you from deviating from the original story. Refer to it often.
Reporting
Find the most compelling story you can.
Surprise the reader. Find an unlikely way to tell a story. Make an effort to take readers into a world that they have never seen.
Look for elements of conflict and find inherent characters.
Include the fewest number of characters possible so that you can develop each with more depth and detail.
Show, don’t tell.
Try to get beyond showing occasional snippets of the person’s life.
Immerse yourself in these people’s lives.
Be there when events are unfolding.
Put yourself in situations in which you will see different things.
Be direct from the beginning.
Be honest and upfront to your sources about what you are doing. This pays off in trust and cuts down on suspicion.
Explain what you are trying to accomplish.
Interview neighbors and friends of your sources early on. By making them feel like they are part of the process, they are less likely to interfere with your story down the road.
Writing
Stay organized.
At the end of a day’s reporting, number your notebook. Pick out the best quote, the best scene, and the best fact. This helps to get your arms around the information at the end of the reporting process.
Concentrate on themes.
Cut out everything that does not apply directly to your central theme.
Focus on quality, not quantity.
Use short sentences.
Keep talking heads to a minimum.
Use simple facts.
Vary the pace of the story.
