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ALTERNATIVE STORY FORMS Easy devices to make your news more accessible and grab readers’ attention By Chris Lusk, Orange County Register news designer
ALTERNATIVE STORY FORMSEasy devices to make your news more accessible and grab readers’ attention
By Chris Lusk, Orange County Register news designer
What is an ASF?• Alternative story forms allow you flexibility
• You determine the best way to tell the story
• Bite-size chunks of information
• An effective way to maximize readers’ time
Why use ASFs?• The typical reader gives us fewer than 25 minutes a day
• You only get a few seconds to hook them, if you’re lucky
• How do you get their time and attention?
• You need to be creative, quick and informative.
• Show them — don’t tell them
ASFs are everywhere• Lists, Q&As, timelines, how to, charts, pro/cons, calendars
• They open the door for creative presentations
• Allow readers to scan and digest information quickly
How do we know they work?• Poynter’s EyeTrack project in 2007 shows us they do
• ASFs help readers remember facts
• Even simple ASFs draw more visual attention
BEYOND THE INVERTED PYRAMID
How they are differentInverted pyramid• Most important info• Next most important• Less important• Less important• Least important
Alternative story form• Overview, central point• Sub-point No. 1• Sub-point No. 2• Sub-point No. 3• Maybe an end
An exampleYou’re publishing a story to preview a series of charity events hosted by student organizations this semester.
The normal approach
A simple ASF
What would you do?• Here’s the news:
“The campus blood drive is over. We finished fourth out of 11 schools in the competition.”
What we typically do• A 15-inch story with quotes from the organizers about how happy they were with the turnout, how pleased they are to be a part of such a great event, and blah blah blah blah.
• Why? This is just more PR. And will anyone even read it?
What we should do
HOW TO BUILD ASFs INTO YOUR DESIGN
How to do it• Brainstorm, sketch, report, edit, execute
• Who should be involved?• Reporter• Designer• Photographer• Edtior
How to do itReporting• Edit ideas• Plan• Write first• Organize
Editing• Content is king• Edit, edit, edit• Hierarchy• Storyboard
Execution• Determine the best way to tell the story• Consider templates
Templates: Q&A, Overview
Templates: 5 things, Profile
So … always use ASFs?• No. Use the right tools for the right story.
• Narrative: Best for telling compelling stories about people.
• Photos: Capturing moments and emotion.
• Q&As, timelines, breakouts: Information at a glance.
• Explanatory graphics: Giving readers an in-depth look.
Readers want to consume information at different speeds. They
want variety. It makes the reading experience so much
more enjoyable.
