Reading Response, Week 4

This week's reading, "Telling True Stories," was a nice followup to last week's "Writing for Story."  I really enjoyed the collage of stories, tips, and experiences offered by this text and felt that they provided a more well rounded view of the story telling trade.  While Franklin's book covers a wide variety of topics and offers some extremely helpful advice, I preferred having the opinions of numerous notorious writers all in one place.  It was helpful for me to read entries by writers clamoring for one particular style or technique and having those essays immediately followed by opposing styles or techniques.  One example that stood out to me begins on page 39 with Anne Hull's "Being There."  Her advice on where to go, what places to visit, and how to be present as a reporter was very enlightening.  Not being religious, I wouldn't have thought to visit a church in the community that I am reporting on, for example.  However, reading Louise Kiernan's "Not Always Being There" directly after offered a nice juxtaposition and reminds us that reporters really have to use their gut to decide when we should intrude and when we shouldn't.

The reading in "Telling True Stories" gives helpful context when reflecting on the other short stories for this week, "Trina and Trina," by Nicole LeBlanc and "The American Man at Age 10," by Susan Orlean. While these two stories were both great fun to read, it's interesting to look at how different the pieces really are.  The writers tell their stories in such contrasting ways, with such different styles, characters, and voices.  The way each author choose to insert herself (or not) in specific scene also caught my attention.  When thinking about how to place myself in the profile we are writing next week, I think that it will be very helpful to revisit both of these stories.