I posted this on Twitter (#bsuImag), but in case you missed it. The best magazine stories are those that take on some common assumption or thought because the best writers – like lawyers – ask: prove it?
Remember the gorilla? What we see isn’t often what happened. These are two interesting examples of that. Hopefully you’ll find this instructive as you begin to think about your story ideas.
A good example of a magazine story idea: “First Person: In Defense of ‘Jump the Shark’ Happy Days episode” by Fred Fox, Jr in the Los Angeles Times.
This is a newspapers story. It would look different as a magazine piece. But the idea: pretty awesome (in my humble opinion).
Then there is this: “Sarah Palin: The Sound and the Fury,” by Michael Joseph Gross in Vanity Fair. (Update: I was going to hold off on adding this so as not to give away the ending, but it didn’t feel right so: Ben Smith on the VF article.
This seeks to do the same type of thing as the Happy Days piece (e.g. answer the question: who is Sarah Palin?) but it does so in magazine style.
A good way to start your magazine story idea search is to just ask: How do we know that’s true? Or: What about that makes people believe that is true?
Common assumptions are fertile ground for magazine pieces. Be curious. Be contrarian. Be mindful of the gorilla.
Interested to hear what you think is good + bad about the second piece. It’s not homework. Simply for those who are looking to delve deeper into magazine writing. Enjoy the holiday.
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