What do you do when a story falls flat?

[RickStain]

Punch the clock and go home, same as I always do.

 

[spnited]

Punch the clock and go home, same as I always do.

That's why your VORP is so low.

 

[RickStain]

Punch the clock and go home, same as I always do.

That's why your VORP is so low.

I'm the newspaper equivalent of replacement level.

 

[Clerk Typist]

This is a simple question, but I don't think it has a simple answer.

I found a story I thought had a chance to be special. It was compelling material, the players were willing to make themselves available as much as I needed to tell the story, there was art to accompany the words ... everything you need to make a solid piece, I had. I reported it, wrote it and sent it in.

As I waited for it to run, I thought to myself, 'Man, this is the best thing I've ever written.'

Then it ran and ... crickets.

So the question is: Has this happened to you? And, if so, what did you do when a story you were sure would be a hit fell flat?

I was told when I started in this business that you receive 100 complaints for every compliment, and I've seen nothing to change that ratio. Pay no attention to the silence behind the curtain.

 

[murphyc]

This is a simple question, but I don't think it has a simple answer.

I found a story I thought had a chance to be special. It was compelling material, the players were willing to make themselves available as much as I needed to tell the story, there was art to accompany the words ... everything you need to make a solid piece, I had. I reported it, wrote it and sent it in.

As I waited for it to run, I thought to myself, 'Man, this is the best thing I've ever written.'

Then it ran and ... crickets.

So the question is: Has this happened to you? And, if so, what did you do when a story you were sure would be a hit fell flat?

Don't be so hard on yourself. How do you know it "fell flat" as you put it? How do you know the players you talked to (not to mention coaches and families) didn't read the story and tell each other, "Damn, did you see that story? That was the best story I've ever read!"
Like others have said, with time you'll get used to complaints for any and all reasons, without the corresponding number of compliments. It means the compliments you get will mean that much more. At my last job, after a game I once had a guy tell me I was doing the best stories at my paper since a particular reporter. Come to find out the writer being referred to was there about 30 years ago. That was cool, especially compared to the "You suck because you didn't run a picture of volleyball player Jane Doe, who of course is NOT my daughter" type call.

 

[Sneed]

The fact that no one wrote to you to tell you how great it was does not mean it wasn't a good story. People usually write to complain more than praise. You have to just assume it was good if you didn't hear anything.

If you need a pat on the back, send it to your friends to read. I'm not trying to be snarky here, but it's the truth.

Pretty much, this.

Don't beat yourself up because nobody told you that your story was the greatest thing they'd ever read. If you know you did the best work you could on it, what else do you really need?

It's awesome getting positive feedback, given the verbal turd a lot of folks tend to fling. But Babs is right, yo. Lotsa folks just call/email/telegram to complain. If you didn't hear anything, at least you know nobody hated it, and that's more positive than it sounds.

Keep on keepin' on, jack.

 

[Stitch]

Not everyone cares about good stories. I covered a fairly important event and received no comments. If it fell flat, it wasn't due to my writing.

 

[Killick]

As a cub reporter, I had the same situation. Crickets, then a wise old journo asked me "Did you do your best on it? Didn't half-ass it? Do YOU like it?" His point was the only opinion, if you gave it your all, that matters is yours. Nine times outta 10, good work will be recognized in time.

In my case, it came a few months later, when I finally met a guy that I've respected for a long time. I introduced myself, and he said that my name sounded familiar. I told him who I was writing for, and he remembers that story and told me he liked it.

My feet didn't touch terra firma for a week.

 

[shockey]

you/we do not write/report seeking feedback from the "public," who -- sad to say -- wouldn't know hemingway from jaclyn suzanne.

write for your colleagues, bosses, friends and family who know you open a vein to fill however many inches.

as others have eloquently put it, readers in general are not a group of people i aspire to please. those who are discerning i'm sure appreciated it. most of the others couldn't give a rat's ass in their little johnny didn't score or his name was spelled wrong.

 

[joe_schmoe]

I know I'm repeating pretty much the same stuff but here goes.

Never become attached to your work.
There are stories out there worth telling that we think there's no way we can flub it. Those are often the easiest to flub. Not saying that is what happened, but if you go in to a story thinking it is you have a Pulitzer on your hands, that's when you need to step back and take a second look at it and make sure you have covered all the bases. Have someone you trust read it, because you'd be surprised how often the story in your head doesn't always translate well when you write it.

 

[Craig Sagers Tailor]

With all the different mediums of acquiring information these days, I think it's more of an indictment of people just not appreciating good writing anymore.

 

[Sneed]

With all the different mediums of acquiring information these days, I think it's more of an indictment of people just not appreciating good writing anymore.

This too.

The following sums up what people in my generation (us in our 20s, us texting fools)....

Family guy from the other week, paraphrased:

Brian: I wrote a book once.
Girl in Bar: (while txting) What's that?
Brian: It's like a really long magazine.
Girl: (still txting) A what?
Brian: It's like the Internet on paper.
Girl: (still txting) What's paper?
Brian: It's made out of trees.
Girl: (still txting) You want to go have sex in the bathroom?
Brian: Oh, what a treat. Yes, that would be very nice.