I was psyched a month ago when I got assigned a lengthy feature article for an arts magazine I love. But with a week until my deadline, excitement is giving way to panic. I have all my interviews done, and I’ve collected a ton of really interesting material. It’s weaving it all together into a cohesive article that is proving harder than expected. Chronological order is boring, but if I get too creative with the transitions and tangents it will impossible to follow.
See, most of my assignments are 500-1,000 words. Piece of cake. I can write those suckers in a few days (but I always wait before submitting in case some brilliant turn of phrase pops into my head, or more likely, I realize I’ve misspelled something). This assignment is for 1,500-2,500 words – my longest yet (college papers don’t count because those were all about padding and margin adjustments). The editor left it pretty open-ended, so if it’s 1,500 words, I get $X. If it’s 2,500 words, I get $X +Y. Naturally, I want $X +Y (minus the algebraic equation, of course). Not just because it would nice to pad my checking account with extra $Y, but because my subject deserves the full 2,500 words.
Therein lies the rub. I’m writing about a topic that I care about so deeply that it’s almost paralyzing. I want the article to fully capture the creative genius of my subjects, but it’s sapping my own creative genius (er, you know what I mean). I’ve rewritten the first 1,100 words several times because I keep worrying that it doesn’t do them justice. I have this theory (and others have confirmed its validity) that some writers are sprinters and others are marathoners. Sprinters go for the quick gratification like writing front-of-book pieces and short profiles, and marathoners write novels and 10,000 word articles on the cover of New York Times Magazine. So, this week I need to decide… which one am I?
Congratulations. When you’re finished, you’ll have a story that only you could have written. Be sure to post a link if it runs online!
Interesting analogy that you pose. I’d have to say I’m definitely a sprinter. I like to see the fruits of my labor immediately, which probably explains why I have so many ideas for books started that have completely stalled. It’s probably also one of the reasons why one-page press releases are my favorite assignments.
Don’t get bogged down making that decision just yet. Once you get used to more words you might find it easier. And remember that your editor is there to help. Get the first draft finished and the two of you can work on it together after that. (That’s what I always try to remember!)
Susan, is it about being a marathoner or sprinter, or is it about the subject being too important to you, and you placing very high expectations on yourself?
I can only reiterate the traditional advice: lower your expectations of yourself and tell the story with passion, assuming that the first draft will mostly suck. Show the reader why they should care. Then panelbeat it to bring in those elements you think wil showcase your sources’ excellence. But stop second-guessing yourself.
And now that I’ve given that unimaginative advice
Susan, is it about being a marathoner or sprinter, or is it about the subject being too important to you, and you placing very high expectations on yourself?
I can only reiterate the traditional advice: lower your expectations of yourself and tell the story with passion, assuming that the first draft will mostly suck. Show the reader why they should care. Then panelbeat it to bring in those elements you think wil showcase your sources’ excellence. But stop second-guessing yourself.
And now that I’ve given that unimaginative advice, I’ll slink off to follow it.
Thank you everyone for your encouragement. In this case, there is an issue of high expectations because of the subject matter, but writing a longer piece is stretching me as a writer, too (and probably would even if I were writing about something more mundane). However, I’ve noticed that now my shorter articles write themselves more quickly, so that is a definite plus.
I’ve been in your shoes. Don’t think of the article in terms of one long piece. Sometimes subheadings work, even if you won’t keep them in the article. It lets you break it down.