1.9 Narrative writing

Starting your article with a short story about a person or people can capture the reader's attention, especially if the article is a feature. But this only works if it leads directly to the centre of your reporting theme. If the short story is really engaging, you may even wish to extend it over the whole article.

EXAMPLE: Click on the following link and look at the first three paragraphs and the last in this story. It begins with not just one but two very simple stories that get the reader to the main point:

Development versus climate change in India:
[ http://www.scidev.net/dossiers/index.cfm?fuseaction=dossierReadItem&type=2&itemid=546&language=1&dossier=4 ]

"Narrative writing" follows the classical rules of drama. It requires a main character and either an opponent or a difficulty that he or she encounters. In the end you have to tell if and how the conflict is resolved, or the difficulty overcome. Your "camera" will focus on this character and the audience will want to know what happens. (This method works very well on TV and radio, too.) All the general facts and scientific details in this story would be included in the general dramaturgy.

So it helps to complete the following "storytelling sentence": Today I am going to tell you the story about my main character named :...
He or she encounters the following difficulty/challenge/conflict :...
In the end the difficulty/challenge/conflict is resolved/overcome — or nothing has changed.

For example, instead of just stating the latest facts on influenza vaccines, a writer might choose to work with the sentence:

"Today I am going to tell you the story about Jo Smith, a scientist who tries to find new vaccines for influenza viruses. But it will turn out that he has to fight this battle every year."


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