Aim for the Heart 3/e

Al Tompkins is one of America's best-known and most-requested journalism trainers. Tompkins has taught professional journalists at conferences, conventions, seminars and newsrooms in 46 states and five countries. Tompkins is the Broadcast and Online Group Leader for The Poynter Institute and has been awarded most of broadcast journalism's top honors, including The National Emmy, The Peabody, two Robert F. Kennedy Awards, and The American Bar Association's Silver Gavel for legal reporting.

PREFACE ABOUT THE AUTHOR INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1. AIM FOR THE HEART Can Great Storytelling Make You Sexier? All That Is Great, But I'm on a Deadline Finding Focus: Aim for the Heart of the Story Use Sound Bites That Connect to The Viewer's Heart CHAPTER 2. THE SHAPE OF THE STORY Stories Need Surprises: Give Viewers Gold Coin Moments Story Frames: Structure and Restructure The Big Close: Resolve the Story Sentences Have Shapes, Too: Power at the End CHAPTER 3. FIND MEMORABLE CHARACTERS Put a Face on the Story: You Remember What You Feel Little Pictures, Big Stories: Focus on People, Not Events How Many Characters Do You Need in a Story? CHAPTER 4. WRITE INVITING LEADS First Impressions: Get Them Hooked Some Do's and Don'ts for Leads: Don't Stall; Get On With It Kill the Cliches: Especially the Cliches of Thought CHAPTER 5. VERBS AND ADJECTIVES The Thing About "ing": A Passive, Verbless Style "To Be" or Not "To Be": Verbs Drive Sentences Avoid "Fantastic, Unbelievable, Gut-Wrenching" Subjective Adjectives CHAPTER 6. THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW Learning to Listen: Using Your Ears More Than Your Mouth Asking Better Questions Interviewing Reluctant Sources: Explain the Rationale Interviewing Juveniles and Other Vulnerable People A Few Interviewing Don'ts CHAPTER 7. WHY PICTURES ARE SO POWERFUL A Little Bit of Visual Theory The Power of the Picture The Fannie Lou Hamer Story CHAPTER 8. THE VITAL ROLE OF LIGHTING Lighting Sets an Editorial Tone Construct the Light and Go for the Shadow Side In Bright Sunlight Add Light Be Careful CHAPTER 9. VIDEO AND VISUAL TECHNIQUES Let's Get Visual: Capturing Compelling Video Principles and Techniques for Photographic Objectivity Special Effects Are "Special": Use With Care CHAPTER 10. CAUTION, THIS MAY GET GRAPHIC: THINKING VISUALLY Think "Shapes": A Checklist for Effective Graphics Get It Right: Graphics Are Precision Work CHAPTER 11. THE SOUND OF THE STORY Capturing Powerful Sound Ethical Concerns With Adding Music and Sound Effects Do Not Rearrange Audio or Sound Bites CHAPTER 12. WHAT EVERY JOURNALIST SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GUNS, AMMUNITION AND ARMED VIOLENCE What Is a Caliber/Gauge and Why Does It Matter? Guns in Crime Buying and Selling Guns CHAPTER 13. FIELD TRICKS FROM THE PROS First Things First in the Field Story Ideas Assessing Threats and Staying Safe CHAPTER 14. TELL THE STORY WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE Why Online and Social Media Are Important to Local TV Reporting and Writing for Online Ethics and Social Networks Online Skills You Need to Get Hired or to Keep Your Job CHAPTER 15. ETHICS AND BROADCAST JOURNALISTS: SEEK TRUTH AND REPORT IT AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE Seek Truth and Report It as Fully as Possible Who Said That: Evaluating Sources for Your Stories Be Honest With Viewers About Your Reporting and Your Mistakes Attack Dogs, Watchdogs and Guide Dogs: A Journalist's Commitment to Seeking Truth File Tape: Truthful Reporting or Lazy Journalism? CHAPTER 16. ETHICS AND BROADCAST JOURNALISTS: ACT INDEPENDENTLY Avoid Conflicts of Interest CHAPTER 17. ETHICS AND BROADCAST JOURNALISTS: MINIMIZE HARM Rights to Privacy for Private People and Public Officials Covering Criminals and Criminal Acts Identifying Suspects, Covering "Off-Limits" Stories and Other Tough Ethics Calls Questions Before You "Go Live" CHAPTER 18. LET'S GET CRITICAL Kill the Zombie Stats Critical Thinking and Polling Using Critical Thinking to Investigate Charities Al Gets Duped: Be Skeptical CHAPTER 19. THE POWER OF ENTERPRISE REPORTING Enterprise From the Start: Morning Meetings How to Generate Enterprise Stories Look for the Story Behind the Story CHAPTER 20. SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN TODAY'S TV NEWSROOM How to Succeed Surviving Layoffs, Cutbacks and Reassignment Stressed and Overworked Time Management Avoid Office Gossip and Politics Leaders in the Newsroom The Meaning of Life INDEX

"For those of us in journalism, our world is quickly changing beneath our feet. Aim for the Heart will give you something solid to stand on, with insights on how to be a better storyteller and how to make the most of the newest technology." -- Byron Pitts "In the midst of a changing industry, Aim for the Heart is more important than ever. It reminds journalists that no matter what the platform, the story is still key. Writing matters. Every manager should have this in their library; it is a great way to inspire newsrooms." -- Carolyn Mungo "Aim for the Heart offers outstanding lessons for students at all levels. Tompkins' approach is smart and engaging, bringing multimedia stories into focus through effective and ethical practices. His emphasis on improving technique in writing, shot composition and the marriage of the two moves students forward." -- Kathleen Culver "Knowing about 'the next big thing' is meaningless without thinking carefully about how those 'big things' enhance the fundamentals of journalism-the fundamentals that give our audiences stories that are ethically sound, engaging and informative. Al Tompkins gets that connection, and he stands for journalism that matters. Anyone who has ever attended one of Al Tompkins' workshops knows that he brings amazing insight, energy and passion into the classroom. What's even more amazing is how he manages to convey that energy and passion in print. Aim for the Heart inspired ordinary journalists to do extraordinary work." -- Lisa Taylor "Aim for the Heart is the book I wish I could have read 20 years sooner. Al Tompkins reveals the secrets of compelling visual stories. As an award winning broadcast journalist, Al taught himself the 'magic" years ago. His willingness to share and teach is his gift to the rest of us." -- Boyd Huppert