not teaching,
still THINKING …
Curiosity is that powerful trait that drives journalists. It can drive you — the audience — too.
Here’s how.
- Each day, set aside time to think about what you are curious about and make a list. As the days go by, review the list. Do you spot any trends?
- Follow your usual daily routine for keeping up with the news. What makes you curious about the stories? Make a list of all the questions you have and see which ones might be answered in subsequent stories.
- Read a story as if you were the person editing it. At each point where you might be curious, mark the spot. Ask yourself why you are curious. Is the story incomplete? Are there holes? Or are you just eager for more details?
Now recognize that even though you might not be a journalist, you have the ability to turn your curiosity into a story and the power to make a good story better. You are so lucky.
That’s because today, you can reach journalists in all ways. You can communicate via social media of all kinds. You can share your curiosity in such a straightforward manner that your curiosity can be transformed into stories. Your stories.
Journalists are already sharing the power. They welcome your participation. They are waiting to hear from you.
(These two profs are no longer teaching at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, but we are still thinking.)