Writing for Source News
Back in December I did a post about the experience of writing my first ever article for Source News. In February I was asked if I had any ideas for another article, and I decided that I would love to write about one of Fargo Village’s food events. After my last article, I had hoped to write more serious articles, either covering events or doing interviews. Therefore, writing about a food event which was local and in a location that I love seemed perfect. The other aim I set for myself after my last article, was to start taking photographs to go along-side my articles. Photographs are important to depict the detail, vibrancy and atmosphere.
The event was Fargo’s Cheese and Chutney festival. As it was in March I had time to do preparation work for the article. This included contacting Fargo Village to get permission, which they were more than happy to give, and also conducting some other research. I wanted to convince students to go to Fargo events and also to spend more time at Fargo Village as it is a place that is truly amazing that students would love. The day before the event I borrowed a camera from my university so I could take photographs of a higher quality than if I had used my mobile phone, to increase the professionalism of the article.
The event itself was a lot of fun to attend and I loved going round and taking photographs of everything. The event made an extremely fun article to write about. On reflection what would have made my article better would have been to include interviews or statements from either the stall holders, or people who were there. However, when I was there, I did not feel confident enough to ask strangers questions about the event. This lack of confidence to engage with the public held me back and this is something that I would have to change if I was to focus on journalism. I will have to work to build my confidence, to make future articles better.
I wrote this article in a light-hearted tone, trying to create the atmosphere that I was talking with the reader. I am not sure if this is the best approach to take with my writing style, but it is the style I feel most comfortable writing in. A way to develop my style would be through reading other people’s reports about food and events, as this may help inspire my writing to become more professional. I would still like to conduct an interview for a future article or at least include short interviews in my articles. I am considering doing reviews of places that students could go to eat, exploring cheaper options as well as unique locations. Writing a review, might encourage me to write in a more formal style.
My article will also be in the April edition of the printed copy of Source News so make sure to pick a copy of that up!
