Tips for Letting Reporters Experience Your Story, Not Just Write About It.

It was one of my most memorable assignments as a reporter. It was in Ohio, and the daily newspaper where I worked was bringing in "Damon the Hypnotist" who promised to help people lose weight or stop smoking by conducting hypnosis sessions on audiences as big as 150 people. For every $100 admission, Damon would give $50 back to the newspaper�s holiday fund drive.

At the time, I was tipping the scales at well over 170 pounds and saw this as a chance not only to write a great story, but (if Damon�s magic truly worked) to finally see my waistband.

So there I was a few weeks before Christmas in the giant hotel ballroom along with more than 100 other people. The room was dark, and Damon was on stage holding a simple red Christmas ornament that reflected the light from overhead. We were told to focus our eyes on the ornament and listen as his soothing voice took us deep, deep, deeper into a trance.

I felt drowsy, relaxed and very tired and vaguely was aware of the fact that he was suggesting we stay away from sweets and treats. About 20 minutes later, I came to, along with the rest of the audience members. I returned to the newspaper office, wrote a story about the experience, then eventually watched in awe as I lost 15 pounds without hardly even trying.

The following year, when Damon returned, I wrote about my experience again to promote the event. More readers than ever signed up for his hypnosis sessions. It was an event to remember for me and for others in the audience - so much more fun that if I were to simply have attended the hypnosis session as a reporter and watched from the sidelines.

Why You Should Involve Reporters

Any time you can provide a memorable experience for reporters by involving them in your story, you increase the chances of a better story. That�s because reporters aren�t just bystanders recording what they see and hear. They are actual participants who are also recording what they feel, how they are reacting and what they think of the experience. Their stories will more likely be filled with emotion and present a more accurate portrayal of the event. But perhaps the best reason is that it forces reporters to get excited about your story. Excited reporters seldom write dull stories.

At another newspaper where I worked, a local service club sponsored a Cardboard Boat Regatta every Fourth of July. Local companies made boats out of cardboard, then competed for prizes by paddling them down a river. I never covered the event. But if I had, I would have asked to be part of one of the teams so I could experience what it was like to paddle for my life as I felt the cardboard beneath me getting soggier by the minute and, possibly, collapsing.

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Special Report #42:
Tips for Letting Reporters Experience Your Story, Not Just Write About It

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