Newswriting this semester has proved extremely challenging, but just as equally beneficial to me as a writer. News style is different from other forms of writing in so many ways. The style, cadence and grammar, among other things, were almost otherworldly in comparison with my preconceived notion of what writing was and what it could be. I’ve learned how to use AP Style to conform with journalistic literary norms, how to write stories in different styles, how to conduct good interviews, how to write stories for an online audience and how to report on diverse sources and topics. The skills I’ve gained in this class have made me a better writer overall and my hope is that they will give me the tools get the most out of newsworthy subjects.

            AP style, the literary style that most of the journalistic community adheres to, should be treated as a separate entity from typical writing styles. The various quizzes we've done this semester have shown me just how broadly AP style is used in modern media and just how deeply ingrained it must be into the minds of journalists who write stories for a living. I'm certainly not as proficient as I would like to be yet in terms of AP style, but I hope that I’ll be able to develop the skill as time goes on. There are certain basic style properties that I've gotten better at, including the use of punctuation and proper grammar, but I think the rest of the style skills I’ve learned this semester will only improve with diligent practice and repetition. I’ve marked several sections of the AP Stylebook already in terms of their frequency and importance, which makes my understanding of the style a bit clearer. I'll have to inevitably master AP style if I'm to succeed in a journalistic field in any capacity, so a steady discipline of learning to apply the AP Stylebook to my writing will be key going forward.

            Coming into newswriting, I had no idea just how many journalistic writing styles there were. I had seen various story types by browsing through papers or looking through online articles, but I never considered their deeper dynamics. I didn’t fully appreciate how technical certain story formats we started learning about them in depth. I had never written a story in any sort of news format, so my experiences with the concepts covered this semester have been extremely beneficial. I personally enjoyed the Wall Street Journal style, as it allowed me to include a bit more observation. I’m not as great as I’d like to be in the Pyramid style, but I’d like to continue writing in the style for my own improvement, especially considering a massive portion of all articles are written in Pyramid style. The annotated story style examples we received in class were an enormous help in crafting various papers throughout the year. I’ve downloaded the PDF’s and will likely continue to refer to them until I’ve developed sufficient skill in each story format.

            Good interviewing technique is essential to any journalist’s arsenal. Being able to create trust with an interviewee is almost always beneficial, and a comfortable interview can mean the difference between an average report and an outstanding one, especially on topics that contain controversy or personal value. Before I began this class, I had never interviewed anyone before. The thought of interviewing someone petrified me to my core, mostly due to a fear of messing up the interview and losing a valuable source. Forcing myself to interview sources may well be the most rewarding and enthralling obstacle I’ve had to overcome in newswriting this year. After the first few interviews, I realized just how much I had overthought the process. Getting over the initial jitters allowed me to relax, prepare surefire questions and be wholly observant of my sources’ stories. I hope to become more attuned to the signals my sources give me, whether they be through body language, hesitance, or agreeability. I’ll do my best to show my future sources that I truly care about what they have to say by using positive motions, an approachable demeanor and demonstrations of understanding.

            The online spectrum of writing is immense. The advent of portable technology, widespread connectivity and social media have contributed to a medium for reporters that was not possible even 40 years ago. Online audiences want clear, concise data that is likely to coerce them into further reading; something that I hope to provide for them. Most of the news I consume comes in the form of online writing, so I’m no stranger to the concept as a whole. However, I had no idea just how technical and deliberate the style actually was until I began newswriting. Every aspect of online journalism is streamlined. The intention of the online journalist is to get the message to the reader in the most convenient way, often condensing the most essential facts into an easily readable template. Online media outlets are arguably the future of journalism, so proficiency in online writing will give me a leg up on the competition. I haven’t had much practice in the style as of yet, but I would like to continue refining my skills in future pieces. The online blog I’ve put together has helped me immensely in that respect, but I would like to watch it grow.

            Diversity in reporting, at least for a new reporter, is extremely daunting. Much like my initial hesitation with interviewing, I also had a hesitation with leaving my comfort zone to interview someone with different viewpoints. Being able to restrict your own thoughts on, and preconceived notions of a topic are absolutely essential to being a good reporter and are skills I would like to take with me after this class has ended. Our diversity assignment forced me to get out and interview someone different from myself and it was honestly a wonderful experience. Seeing other people’s ways of life is something I hope to do as much as possible when reporting in the future, so openness to other ideas is essential to make my hope a reality.

            Newswriting has given me skills that I didn’t even know I needed. I’ve gained a completely different outlook on journalism, and a deeper appreciation for the components that allow journalists to provide valuable information to the public. I deeply respect those that have taken the time to master the broad range of topics we’ve covered this semester. I hope to do my own part for the public after refining my own writing skills. Perhaps the most important takeaway I’ve gained this year is that the media is merely a canvas for people to share ideas. Without the basic skills required to do good journalism, journalism would cease to function properly.