What News Writing Means to Me

News writing makes me feel uncomfortable, yet I feel on top of the world when I write a groundbreaking lede — it's a love-hate relationship.

I have enjoyed a few things the last few weeks of news writing. One of them is interviewing people. Hearing the stories and thoughts of others is something I've always found intriguing. They trust me enough to share their story, and that is touching.

Another thing I've enjoyed is strengthening my relationship with my husband, who works for KSL and has a background in sports writing. Just this morning, he ran into the room while I was getting ready, all giddy. He asked me if I had ever heard of "nut graf." This was a phrase I was unfamiliar with; however, I now understand that it is a paragraph that explains the context of the story "in a nutshell." It has been fun sharing ideas and thoughts with him, knowing he has such a passion for news writing.

Although news writing has many positives, it has been difficult. There are a few things I do not like about it. The first is ensuring the structure is accurate and quickly captures the reader's attention. I have not been confident in my lede or headline writing, which affects my confidence moving forward into the article.

Relating to confidence, I also struggle with knowing if I am presenting the interviews I've conducted in a way that the interviewee deserves. I want to be able to convey the thoughts and passion behind their story. But am I doing it right? That is a question I am almost constantly asking myself.

News writing has been something that has pushed me out of my comfort zone. From starting a blog, writing video scripts, and writing news articles, I feel my confidence growing increasingly daily. It's hard, but pushing out of your comfort zone is never easy.