2007 saja convention

I attended a conference organized by the South Asian Journalists Association on July 12–15. Here are some of the things I heard and learned:

"Learning a skill doesn't count until you do something with it."

"Become a better writer by reading."

A good story should be internally cohesive, have good transitions, and contain a healthy dose of suspense.

"Old news" that follows the inverted triangle model is only good if it is explanatory. "New news" need not review the whos, whats, whens, wheres, and hows of a story, but instead should be forward looking; it should answer the question, "So what?"

"Write a headline in your mind. Ask yourself, What is this story about?"

Interview, research, and writing are essential journalism skills across all specialties. Also, be well-read and knowledgeable. This will be a fount for ideas and provide direction.

Differentiate pitches, as you would your resume based on the organization you are applying to. Practice the "art of the possible." Ask what is possible, logistically, economically, and otherwise.

Be mindful of proportions when it comes to digesting news: "be informed but not consumed."

Quotes can be dangerous. In representing another person's way of speaking, we can reveal our own biases. Use quotes to illuminate the way someone thinks, the way someone talks, and to show something characteristic about that person or his personality.

"We've programmed our own audience. We've lowered their expectations." (Bill Weir)

"We give them too much of what they want and not enough of what we need." (Bill Weir paraphrasing Charlie Gibbson)

"Whatever your story is, it's a great one." Find the right buyer later.

Let your cultural identity be your opportunity, not your opponent. You are not defined by your cultural identity or membership in elite institutions. You are defined by the quality of your work. Your cultural identity accords you an outsider status that will allow you to be impartial and insightful. Let your strength be your ability to see across continents. Let your creativity stem from a balance of fear and curiosity. (Martin Bashir)

Negative space is useful for the eyes to rest on, and then move on to the rest of the page.

A designer is concerned with aesthetics; an editor with a customer's perception and cost; and the reader with the ease of use or functionality.

Principles of Good Design:

Visibility. The user can tell how to operate the device, and what it is currently doing, just by looking at it.

Mental Model. The designer provides a clear conceptual model of how the device works.

Good Mappings. The user can determine the relationship between controls and their effects.

Feedback. The user receives full and continuous feedback about the results of his or her actions.

(Adapted from The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman.)