Writing on Deadline

Working on a deadline was not new experience for me. Working on a two-hour was.

Photographing and writing about an event was not new either. Being responsible for both was.
I would not say the experience was miserable, but I definitely was challenged outside of my comfort zone. And while I do not necessarily want to repeat and event like covering Randy Lovely’s talk again in the near future, the merit of the experience will be invaluable as I continue educating scholastic journalism students both and my school and at workshops around the state of Florida.
I think the experience is valuable on many levels.

Reason One: It forces the adviser to empathize with writing on deadline.

Reason Two: It made me realize how event coverage should be tackled as a team for a beginning journalism student. I felt very limited in my ability to get everything I wanted; the best picture, as much of the interview written down as possible, listening to make sure I did not miss the powerful quotes, thinking of the “right” question on the spot. I felt out of control.

Reason Three: Sometimes you have to change your story. What I initially wanted the focus of my story to be verses what I turned in as my rough draft were similar, but not the direction I intended to take during the course of the Q & A session itself.

I have always had an appreciation for reporters. This experience of covering a press conference type event and reporting on a tight deadline have only amplified that admiration.

Jill Burns

Robinson High School
Tampa, Fla.