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Being Catholic Isn't An Excuse for Crap Writing: Lessons from a Journalist
If you've read my post about evangelization and cheese, you might not be surprised when I say that evangelistic efforts can't lack quality. Regardless of how true the Catholic faith is, if you can't communicate it effectively the truth will fall on deaf ears.
I'm not the greatest writer (shocker I know) and wanted some help in this area so I asked good friend Arleen Spencely to share some of her knowledge and experience as a writer, blogger, and journalist. Listen up!
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Five Blogging Tips from a Journalist - Arleen Spenceley
Lots of what I know about blogging is what I learned in a newsroom – what I learned at the first desk on the left side of a Tampa Bay Times bureau, where on July 23, 2007, I marveled at the privilege of my new reality: “I can’t believe I work here.”
That day – my first as a Times staff writer – I was a college kid, now with Pulitzer Prize-winning colleagues, a press badge and a dream come true. That semester, the summer before I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in journalism, I discovered what I never expected I would:
You learn a lot more in newsrooms than in classrooms.
I wrote in Times newsrooms until December 2012, when, after five years on staff, I resigned to finish my master’s degree. I look back with gratitude, for great memories and a skill set I still use. What I learned in newsrooms, I’ve discovered, transfers seamlessly to blogs. Here are the four lessons I use most:
If you’re gonna write, you’ve got to read. And you’ve got to read good writing. At the paper, I’d spend 20 minutes browsing Times archives for stories by better writers than I before beginning to write my own. I’d read stories by Pulitzer winners and nominees, riveted by the result of their talent and experience. Then, I’d emulate it (or try). This also works when you blog (but don’t just read blogs! Read books, good newspapers, and/or magazines.)
Talk to strangers. We are surrounded by the people who surround us for a reason. We are also surrounded by good stories. One morning, I parked outside a Tampa bureau of the Times and crossed paths with a handful of young cyclists, circling the lot on bikes. My gut said “talk to them.” So, I did. As it turns out, the cyclists were siblings (among them, the drummer from rock band Anberlin) preparing to train for a 5k with their grandfather – the last one he intended to run, because knee pain pushed him to retire from running. It became one of the favorite stories I wrote – and I only wrote it because I talked to strangers.
Your senses are your friends. Whether what you write reads well might depend on whether you use them. Without senses, the 9/11 first responder you write about couldn't see through smoke. With senses, “Pulverized debris settled like dust on the city. (He) breathed it in. His mouth tasted like metal, but he worked.” Facts are fabulous, but details – which we find by using our senses, or borrowing the senses of the people about whom we write – are better. If you aren’t there to see, smell, hear, taste, or touch it, ask your story’s subject what they saw, smelled, heard, tasted, or felt.
Writer’s block doesn't exist. One afternoon in a newsroom, I buried my face with my hands and shook my head in front of a blank screen. A seasoned colleague noticed. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Writer’s block,” I said. “But writer’s block doesn't exist,” he said. If you’re a writer, you can write. When you feel like you can’t, it isn't because you can’t. It’s because you need more information. Gather it. Browse the web for blog fodder. Conduct a follow-up interview. Talk to strangers again. The ability you thought you lost will come back when you do.
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Arleen Spenceley is a Roman Catholic writer who primarily writes about love, chastity, and sex, and wrote for the Tampa Bay Times for five years. She blogs at arleenspenceley.com, tweets @ArleenSpenceley, and Facebooks (is that a word?) here. Click here to read the feature story about a 9/11 first responder she quoted above and wrote in 2011.
Pope Francis Search Engine-a-fide
You all need to know about the Pope Francis search engine put together by the same creator of the wonderful Catholic Cross Reference website that is home to search engines for the Catechism, the Summa, and Church Fathers.
The Pope Francis Search Engine, or PFSE for short, is updated daily and has a search bar so you can search words like "latin Mass", "SSPX", "same-sex marriage", "Bono", "my favorite flavor of gelato", "kittens and gelato", or I don't know whatever else you want to search.
Thanks for all the Catholic geeky goodies Jeffrey Pinyan! And a gentlemanly hat tip to Angela for bringing this to my attention.
Check out the Pope Francis search engine here.
By the way, we need a catchy nickname for our beloved pope. JPII and B16 had their own, its about time someone came up with one for our humble Pope. Any suggestions?
Photo by Abode of Chaos
New Big Project Announcement...
...making sure this kid gets to Heaven. Two boys now! 12 more and we'll make a complete rugby team...
Dominic ? Mitchell Born on Holy Saturday at 12:24 a.m.
"The grace of our Lord has been abundant" 1 Tim 1:14
Any suggestions for a middle name?
Happy Easter! (Soundtrack)
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Happy Palm Sunday, #CaptureEaster Begins!
[youtube=http://youtu.be/Qqhe4yRCGIE] And Holy Week begins! Help Catholics everywhere #CaptureEaster in order to share the beauty of God during Holy Week with the world! We've even thrown in some sweet Catholic books you could win.
Step 1) Take a sweet picture of your experience of God during Holy Week. Step 2) Upload it to instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #CaptureEaster Step 3) Checkout the site CaptureEaster.com to see other pictures of the world expereincing Holy Week, as its happening. Step 4) Get your friends in on the action! Step 5) Photo with the most (legitimate) comments gets 4 free Catholic books delivered to their door!
Let's #CaptureEaster !!!
[youtube=http://youtu.be/Qqhe4yRCGIE] My friend Jon and I came up with a crazy idea: what if everyone around the world took pictures of Holy Week and the beauty of God, made a #hashtag (#CaptureEaster) and posted them all up on one website?
Starting this Palm Sunday, join us in our attempt to flood the internet with pics of the beauty and goodness of God and Holy Week.
Step 1) Take sweet pictures of your experience of God during Holy Week. Step 2) Upload them to instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #CaptureEaster Step 3) Checkout the site CaptureEaster.com to see other pictures of the world expereincing Holy Week, as its happening. We'll get your photo up as soon as possible. Step 4) Get your friends in on the action!
We will be posting the images to CaptureEaster.com and are giving away some sweet books to whatever photo gets the most (legitimate) comments.
Get pumped for Holy Week!!!!!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Enjoy some fine music from Sycthian, a band that plays "kicked-up Celtic and world music with hints of Gypsy and Klezmer, all infused with a touch of punk-rock sensibility." One of the band members is a Franciscan University Grad!
Dia is Muire dhuit! (God and Mary with you!)
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CATHOLICISM Lenten Reflection by Fr. Robert Barron [Videos]
Pope Benedict receiving ashes on his head during Ash Wednesday last year. ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI, Associated Press
"Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning." Joel 2:12 "A clean heart create in me, God, renew your spirit within me." Psalm 51:12
Video Reflections to Prepare for Lent
Two teaser videos for you this Ash Wednesday morning from Fr. Robert Barron's Catholicism series.
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Who is Jesus Christ? He is either who he says He is, or he is a lunatic, liar, and maybe even worse.
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The temptation of Jesus reminds us to strive to put God at the center of our lives during Lent.
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And 'cause I like you I'm gonna throw this in here too. I'm feeling particularly Lent-y this morning.
GO TO MASS TODAY!
Listen, today is the last Mass our beloved Papa Benedict XVI will be saying as Pope. If you don't already have enough reason to go to Mass and get your ashes to kick off this special Lenten season, go to Mass to join the Pope in the Eucharist offering prayers for him and this challenging time for the Church. Do it!
Check out the Mass readings for today here.
+JMJ
The Lost Art of Catholic Drinking
I couldn't not share this article with you all, whom I presume appreciate a good libation every now and then and also appreciate someone who writes about the joys of Catholic drinking. Here is a taste of the article:
Just what constitutes excess is for each person to judge for himself. However, we now approach the main difference between Catholic drinking and Protestant drinking. Protestant drinking tends to occur at one extreme or another: either way too much or none at all, with each being a reaction to the other. Some people, rightly fed up with the smug self-righteousness of teetotalers, drink to excess. And teetotalers, rightly appalled at the habits of habitual drunkards, practice strict abstinence. It seems to occur to neither side that their reaction is just that: a reaction, and not a solution. If they considered it a bit, they might see a third way that involves neither drunkenness nor abstinence, yet is consistent with healthy, honest, humane Christian living.
Here we encounter Catholic drinking.
Catholic drinking is that third way, the way to engage in an ancient activity enjoyed by everyone from peasants to emperors to Jesus Himself. And again, it is not just about quantity. In fact, I think the chief element is conviviality. When friends get together for a drink, it may be to celebrate, or it may be to mourn. But it should always be to enjoy one another’s company.
Join Tonight! LIVE Webinar on the New Evangelization
Tonight at 8:00 pm EST
I'm pumped to be a part of a discussion on the New Evangelization to be broadcast live tonight. Join me as I'll be hanging out LIVE G+ style with some great Catholic bloggers and evangelists. We'll be discussing ways to engage in the New Evangelization and be able to take some questions and comments from YOU (if you decide to join us). Sign up here to join the conversation with us this Friday.
Meet the Crew:
First and foremost, Amanda is a woman after the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. Amanda is also a Colorado native and can hardly imagine living anywhere else. She graduated from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina in 2009 with a BA in Theology, as well as minors in Psychology and Philosophy. Amanda is a youth minister and loves leading teens in a journey towards Christ. Her blog can be found at worthy of Agape.
Sr. Theresa Noble is a novice, aka nun in training, with a religious congregation of sisters in the US. She left her job in California with eBay to follow God two years ago. She currently lives in a convent in Boston where she prays, evangelizes, bakes bread and blogs at Pursued by Truth.
Ryan is a young Catholic convert. He evangelizes by teaching people how to achieve their career, business, or entrepreneurial goals. Follow Ryan on twitter by clicking @RyanEggenberger or jump over to his blog at EntreCatholic.com to say hi!
And this guy.
We’re going to have a great time talking about the New Evangelization, and we want as many people as possible to join us for the event. Be sure to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and even Email folks who you think would enjoy the discussion!