That news editor in Phoenix called my writing 'boring' and it actually helped

I was writing about a city council meeting where they voted on a new zoning rule. My piece was just facts in order. The editor said "your story reads like a grocery list." She told me to lead with the human cost. So I started with the single mom who was gonna lose her backyard garden because of the rule change. Got way more comments and shares after that. Has anyone else had an editor or boss give feedback that stung but made your reporting way better?

3 comments

3 Comments

val_ramirez5d ago

Oh man, getting told your writing is like a grocery list is brutal but honestly kind of funny. Glad you turned it around though, now your stories probably have less onions and more actual drama.

abby_morgan185d ago

Has @val_ramirez ever had a brutal edit that totally changed how she sees her own work?

cameron_hernandez695d ago

Ha, yeah I read that editors can be brutally honest but it makes your work way better in the end.