It’s Restart Time
A Journalist’s Diary
Today’s post is as much a follow-up to my thoughts on the storytelling relevance of the question what happens next? as it is a continuation of my attempt to punch through life’s barriers and resume my hunt for true stories — visual or otherwise.
My ongoing evaluation of what happens next includes thoughts on intuition, newsworthiness, and the reasons behind some early decisions in that process.
Journalistic intuition goes beyond newsworthiness
Life presents a wealth of wonders — positive and negative. Decisions about what to cover are difficult just because of that.
But technological innovation — a driver that has pushed journalism since the printing press — continues to speed up the news cycle.
Mastering a sense for news or accurately judging which events are worthy of the public’s attention at any given time have become irreplaceable tools.
But journalistic intuition is more than that.
The public deserves more — in terms of variety, perspectives, and slices of what is happening around the world and in its backyard.
Good journalism relies on the ability to look beyond the obvious and below the surface of what’s happening.
Listening to photographer Mindy Véissid’s presentation The Art of Intuitive Photography reminded me that intuition means “tapping into oneself.”
It’s about vulnerability and trust. If one is pulled toward something, let it happen, regardless of the negative voices that urge one to return to the more obvious ideas.
The best journalism begins with the trust that one’s senses are a reliable navigator, and worries about the result (or end product) must be sidelined.
I see it like this: when I write, I force myself to sideline spelling, grammar, and style concerns until I start editing (as much as possible, at least). Just as I trust my senses in writing (or photography), I’ll have to trust my senses to steer me to the ideas and stories that matter.
That process helps with looking beyond the obvious and finding stories with the potential to be unique. But it doesn’t necessarily make that initial work much easier.
I wrote about what I feel drawn to in the last post. I’m getting closer, and research is the path to narrowing it down to a manageable field.
Below, I’ll write more about what comes first. Many other topics have to wait but aren’t forgotten. If a spark ignites along the way, I’ll be ready to switch gears.
It’s a balance of staying informed and learning while keeping the mind focused enough to get somewhere.
That’s a personal journey without shortcuts. But it’s the path that leads to rewarding work.
Excited to meet you
The climate, the environment, and animal life are the first broad stroke that builds a topic I’ll prioritize.
While allowing broad strokes might sound counterintuitive to focus and progress, few topics build an island. Everything is connected. Or, as photographer Ami Vitale puts it, “every story about humanity is a story about the natural world.”
A story about the climate that beautifully activated my thinking hat and stimulated my hunt for ideas is a photo essay called Thirsty Europe.
It shows the impact of climate change and drier conditions in Europe.
The climate is a topic no one can escape. Besides positive stories and those looking for the causes and solutions, I feel drawn to stories that explain the impact we can already see and feel.
In this case, you’ll find compelling images and contextual information that increases knowledge on this vital topic.
Other readings that helped me think about ideas looked into the human element of conservation and the benefits of preserving and healing biodiversity for human life.
Rejoice! Biodiversity Loss Really Can Be Halted And Reversed By Conservation Efforts shares a study that proves conservation matters.
It’s a study on the impact of conservation. The conclusion: conservation has the potential to return “our planet to a healthier balance that will in turn reduce the effects of climate change,” as the article concludes.
I’m hooked. If conservation efforts aren’t newsworthy, what is?
What also draws me to exploring the animal kingdom is that investing in animals can be a mind-soothing experience in its own right.
That’s especially true if the focus is on the stories of hope instead of the doomsday scenarios. I agree with Vitale’s viewpoint that stories of hope motivate people more than negativity.
Migration is another subject that offers many paths to explore, including connections to related subjects.
I’ll use it as an umbrella term if you’ll excuse the generalization.
From the border and questions of integration to issues that seem far-flung, like Burma and the conflicts of this world, I sense enough story potential that satisfies both newsworthiness and my curiosity for a lifetime.
If I think about the latest examples of noteworthy stories I spent time with, there was a three-year summary of the war in Ukraine and a photo essay on hunger in Gaza.
As hard as it is to read war stories, I believe in their importance and value the occasional in-depth look more than the constant daily news reminders of death and destruction.
Those stories also include the beautiful human moments that still happen (find the image in the Gaza essay that shows a boy decorating his tent to celebrate Ramadan, for example).
All those topics are far and near, universal and local, essential to the human condition, and linked to things like the climate, the economy, national security, foreign affairs, and health care.
It’s my general closeness to American life and the work of the likes of John Moore that draws me to the border issues with Mexico.
But it’s an issue worth investing in much closer to home, as this collection of work about the European situation shows.
I mentioned that my curiosity about Burma and its people originated from my time in Prague and the reporting that went into a piece on integration.
I’ve yet to manage to find my (local) way into this topic, one that exemplifies the problem of newsworthiness: a lot of issues only make it on select occasions but deserve more than a momentary glance.
This photo essay, for example, shows the diversity in Burma. You probably heard about the Rohingya, but have you heard of the Karen, to name only one of the ethnic (and religious) minorities living in Burma who deserve to have a voice?
The world is aging. One can find lots of studies and political reports or groups, but little of the news I’m curious about.
Between that content and the wonderful project I wrote about before, there’s an opening of stories not told.
One example is the work about using art to increase knowledge and understanding of aging — fascinating.
I also found readings that got my creative sports juices flowing. I have no idea where this might lead yet, but my thoughts are in motion.
Reading a very creative report of a Belgian cyclo-cross race made me decide to start thinking about sports, an idea that had been simmering for a while but that I never seriously considered.
The first new idea starter is a piece that bridges sports and culture and brings a uniquely personal touch to journalism.
This piece on visiting a German race track while on holiday combines culture, travel, and going to the races. It’s a piece driven by personal observations and reactions — very lively and enriching.
The same Australian writer created a visual way of explaining what motorsports means through the history of a racetrack in Australia (with stunning photography and scenery).
I’m thinking.
Let’s see if I can share more specifics in my next update already, which is due either next week or the week after (I’ll give myself some flexibility and might swap the post with a What I’m Reading post).
On Sunday, I’ll have a training update for you, with successes, setbacks, and surprises.
