Quick resume question, okay, kind of a weird resume question...

I don't get it. When I got my first job a few years ago, they insisted that I learn shorthand - and over time, it's become one of the most valuable skills I could have learned.

Let's face it, transcribing interviews off recorders takes time. I remember how I used to do nothing but use recorders, and I'd spent 10-20 minutes in the office just transcribing/fetching quotes. That's valuable time that could have been spent writing the story. Shorthand notes, on the other hand, if you get good enough at it, give you a full transcript the moment you sit down in front of the computer.

At my current shop, I watch everyone around me come in and spend what seems like forever plugged into their recorders and typing up interviews. Meanwhile, my story is already done, because I know how to use a pen and a pad.

 

I think the level of deadline you're on is a big factor, but I do agree in the cases of "you've got one hour or less to produce a 20-inch story on the game you just covered."

One trick I use that's been very helpful with my digital recorder is writing down exact times that someone says something worth quoting.

 

*Adjusted due to five errors.


I got an 84 on the astronaut one. Suppose that validates all the cheating I did in fourth grade typing class.

 

Shit. Sadly, I can't pretend that was a typing error.

 

I've yet to work with someone who took hand-written notes of any variety that matched up with a recording of the interview. Not saying they don't exist, just that I haven't yet personally seen it.

 

I remember seeing some study years ago comparing the average number of words spoken in a minute to what the listener actually heard and had time to write down. The listener barely could get maybe 1/3 of what was actually said.

 

Yep. You have to be good at identifying the quotes you want. When I have to write out an interview I only try to write down the stuff I will use. I may miss a quote here and there that I may have used but it's all you can do. My general strategy is to get the key words in each quote down. Then it is just a matter of putting in the, it, a ... etc.

 

For you shorthand people, do you use Pittman or Gregg style? How hard is it to pickup?

 

Absolutely. For features I have time to work on, I use a recorder almost exclusively. I think the time it takes to do handwritten notes leaves some awkward pauses that are counterproductive to the conversational nature that makes for a strong feature interview. I like to keep everything flowing when I interview for features, and I just can't do that with a pad.

But for gamers, talking to players and coaches postgame, or for one-day nothing features/profiles, I still think the pad is the way to go.

 

I use a recorder but jot down the times where the stuff I think I'm gonna use it.

At postgame pressers, I use the recorder and type stuff out on my laptop, which is a little easier then trying to decipher my chicken scratch. That way I've got a backup in case I gotta check something.