Journalists are familiar with the “human interest story”, but the writing form that truly gets to the core of telling stories about ordinary people is more often called narrative journalism. These are people-centered stories that tell about the experiences of ordinary people from their own perspective. The power of these stories lies in their ability to bring issues of concern to light, showing the link between broader policy questions and the impacts they have on people’s lives. Audiences are drawn to these stories because they like to see themselves reflected in other people’s experiences — they are mostly more interested in other people than “things” as they can often relate or empathize with the experience. The most compelling stories that have been told about those who are living with HIV and/or affected by HIV are through narrative journalism.
Unlike news stories, more time and length need to be given to the telling of a narrative story as they require a more intense engagement with sources than is usually needed for hard news stories. Editors will need to be prepared to give journalists the space and time to deliver a well-told story.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when developing narrative or “human” stories:
- Let people speak in their own words — allow them to describe their own situation or experience, do not assume. Also try not to interrupt your subject when interviewing them.
- Ask the person you are interviewing to explain the significance of an event, or, for example, the impact HIV/AIDS has had on their lives.
- Observe and record mannerisms, the way a person speaks, words they repeat often.
- Look for the uniqueness of your subject. In other words, what makes them different from others? Show how the person’s experience differs or reflects that of the community.
- Good storytelling, in print, broadcast or online shows the audience something first, then tells the significance – rather than the other way around.
- Rather than focusing only on the who, what, where and when, remember to delve into the why and how of the story.
- Long wandering conversations are better for narrative journalism than formal or structured interviews. During more formal interviews, subjects can be guarded and self-conscious.
- There is nothing that beats spending time with a subject in their home environment. Immerse yourself temporarily in the lives of your subjects so that they become relaxed in front of you.
- Read, watch or listen to other journalists’ human stories.
🧠 Challenge Yourself! How could you describe a subject, other than being a helpless victim of a situation? Think of the language or types of description you could use, to tell a person’s story in a different way.