We will look at examples of both in class next week, 10/29. We will also clarify deadlines.

The Q&A profile of a key source from your beat:

1. Alternative form of storytelling.
2. Readers like them. These are written in chunks, but are connected and revealing.
3. Give a sense of hearing the subject talk.
4. Create a story with a beginning, middle and end.
5. You can edit your questions.
6. You must edit the answers so that they don’t run on too long.
7. You can shuffle the order of the questions from when you asked them. The idea is to tell a story. You are in charge. Organization — and focus— is essential. Ask yourself: what is this Q&A about? Don’t veer off in several directions. Go deeper and deeper.
8. The intro – No more than 100 words. This is really your nut graf. You want to introduce not only your subject, but the focus or theme of the story. This is not a biography. It is a snapshot. Keep it relatively focused. Make it sound like a coherent, revealing conversation that tells a story.
9. Parameters: 900 words, maximum, including your intro. You need between 8 and 12 questions. Keep answers concise and on point. No wordy questions or answers.
10. REQUIRED: Include a photograph or two embedded in the Word doc.
11. As always — a Reporting Index showing your interviews and research needed at the end.

Photo story:

Your assignment is to come up with the story you can tell visually, with the help of cutlines, that reveals as aspect of your beat. Use Adobe Spark (free) to build your story.

1. Minimum of 12 photos. Maximum of 15.
2. Taken as a whole, the photos should tell a story that suggests a beginning, middle and end.
3. Be sure to include three different kinds of shots: wide shot, medium range, close-up/detail. When you order your shots, make sure to vary these focal lengths to avoid too much visual repetition. Choose for opening and closing photos carefully, like leads and endings.
4. First photo should include a short paragraph, like a nut graf, that sets up the narrative (100-125 words max). Each photo after should carry a one-sentence cutline that briefly describes the photo and/or further explains the story. Include names if you are photographing people.
5. Collect photos into a slideshow format using Spark and send me the link. Post it also to your blog. These need to be shared easily and accessed online.