|
I used to believe that if you knew a subject well enough and were passionate about it, you could pen a masterpiece. But it was two years of working as an IT journalist (and never really understanding or liking it!) that actually taught me how to write.
The leap from a free-spirited, anything-goes university environment into the hard, cold world of IT journalism was a culture shock from which my right brain never quite recovered. I was a child of Donkey Kong, black-and-white TVs and Commodore VIC-20s. I didn’t know what a megabyte was, or—more to the point—why anyone would want to write home about it.
As it turned out, IT journalism was possibly the best training I ever had. Working with a subject that was so foreign to me taught me how to ask the right questions. It forced me to translate technical issues into words that not only interest people who know the subject, but that also catch the attention of those who don't.
This is why, perhaps, years later, I get such a kick out of writing for South Africa's National Research Foundation. Sharing the thrill of science and the country's research achievements with the public has turned into a five-year love affair with science that shows no signs of abating. And for someone who spent most of her school science classes smoking, that's not bad going!
Mastering the basics
My first attempts at serious technology articles (along with my happy assumption that I'd be the next Hunter S. Thompson) were firmly and immediately rejected. But when I finally made it to the front page, I realized that there are a few basic principles that make writing about technical subjects for a non-technical audience that much easier.
The message isn't the medium
The subject might be complicated; your writing needn't be. The quicker someone can read your copy, the more likely they are to grasp your point.
- Use analogies, comparisons or examples that your readers can relate to. Remember that simple doesn't mean stupid—be concise, not condescending.
- Avoid passive voice like the plague. Seriously. Active voice is easier to read. It sets a quick pace and makes your copy direct and immediate. You're already asking readers to think about a complicated topic—don't make them work harder for the facts than they absolutely have to.
Less is more
Knowing very little about your subject matter forces you to do your homework properly. It also helps you to see the subject from your readers' perspective. Do background research, but use only as much as you need to create context.
- Use background information in small chunks throughout your article to explain each point as it is raised. Too much at once is just confusing.
- Use sidebars or boxes for information that is interesting, but not necessary to make your point. This adds depth without interrupting copy flow.
- Keep it brief. You don't need to prove to your readers how much research you did. If the point is clear, you've said enough.
Sum it up
A good angle can be hard to pin down. If you're struggling to pull it all together, find a colleague and give yourself 15 seconds to tell them what you're writing about. Then give yourself 15 seconds to tell them why. There is your angle.
I tackle almost every science feature by starting with three questions: What is the need and broader perspective? What is being done? Why is it significant?
This is a typical news writing approach, and it works even for long texts. Sum up each section with a strong introduction that gives people the "bigger picture." This creates context for what they are about to read.
Don't be boring—but be careful
When translating a complex topic into layman's terms, you run the risk of simplifying things to the point where they are no longer technically accurate. It is also easy to sensationalize facts to create the "edge" you're looking for.
- When conducting an interview, remember that it might not be the actual achievement or process that is news, but rather its potential or long-term impact. These are areas where you can create interest and meaning.
- Not everyone will make the connections that a scientist or technician will. Use transition words like "therefore," "for example" and "however" to show the logic connecting the previous thought to the next.
- Avoid monotony and create rhythm by balancing long sentences with short ones.
- Never express more than one technical concept in a single string of words. If a sentence needs semicolons, it is probably too long. Try bullet points instead.
Work with your sources, not against them
Researchers, scientists and technicians aren't always available for interviews, and they don't always take well to popular interpretations of their own, very precise work. But you need them on your side.
- Explain what you're trying to achieve and who you are trying to reach.
- Explain the reasons for your style, tone and approach, and provide examples of the information you need: statistics, "bigger picture" examples, long-term impact, etc.
- For descriptions or facts that you cannot attribute directly to your primary source, ensure that you have a credible alternative. Triple-check the validity of any web sources. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Be willing to make changes. Work with your source on the first draft, and be prepared to do several more until you have a version with which both of you are comfortable.
It all sounds pretty basic, and it is, but when you are faced with a deadline, a scientific thesis and an interview transcript of which you only understand every tenth word, these tips can be the difference between a solid article and a fragmented wreck.
Sophia Dower is the senior content manager at Words’worth Publishing Consultancy in Johannesburg, South Africa, and winner of a 2002 Gold Quill Award of Excellence.
|
|
