Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 156
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-4422-5610-1 • Hardback • October 2015 • $76.00 • (£58.00)
978-1-4422-5611-8 • Paperback • October 2015 • $41.00 • (£35.00)
978-1-4422-5612-5 • eBook • October 2015 • $38.50 • (£30.00)
Bob Dotson, Special Correspondent for the NBC Today show, has more than forty years of experience in the field of broadcast journalism. His long running “American Story” segment is one of the most honored series in network television history, winning more than 100 awards, including eight Emmys. In addition, Dotson has received more than seventy awards, including six Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Best Network News Writing”, the top journalism awards from both DuPont-Columbia and the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, numerous National Headliner Awards and “the highest honor in the field of photojournalism,” the Sprague Memorial Citation from the National Press Photographers Association. He is also recipient of the William Allen White Foundation’s 2015 National Citation for long-standing journalistic excellence in service to the profession and community.
Chapter 1: How to Become a Storyteller
Reporting vs. Storytelling
The Rule of Threes and Filling the Silence
The Question That is Not a Question
Script #1: Lives Lost
The Most Important Thing You Should Do Before an Interview
The Best Thing You Can Do After an Interview
How to Quickly Write a Good Opening Line
Chapter 2: The Game of What If?
Hey. You. See. So.
Script #2: Pops Dream
Surprises
Script #3: Farm to Fame
Humor
Structuring a Visual Story
Planning Notes for YouTube Star Segment
What Went on the Cutting Room Floor
Script #4: YouTube Star
Chapter 3: Getting Started
Look for Different Ways to Tell Your Story
Script #5: Found Art
Find a Strong Central Character
Script #6: Park Avenue Peeler
Find Interesting Stories and People to Interview, Even When Time and Money are Tight
Script #7: Living Ghost Town
Chapter 4: I’m Sorry This Story Is So Long. I Didn’t Have Time to Write a Short One.
Pictures Come First
Write the Middle of Your Story Next
Ask Yourself, “What Does This Mean?”
Don’t Throw Away Thoughts
Script #8: Cave Rescue
Highlight a Story’s Natural Drama
Working Fast
Script #9: Ruby Bridges
Scene Setting
Foreshadowing
Conflict
Character Growth
Resolution
Put Stories into Context
Chapter 5: The Building Blocks of a Story
Words
Video
Silence
Natural Sound
Sound Bites
Reporter On-Camera Stand-Up
Graphics
Script #10: Pearl Harbor’s Untold Story
Editing Stories
Chapter 6: A Survival Kit for Professional Storytellers in the Social Media Age
The “So What” Test
“One Thing is Certain . . .”
You Are Not the Story
It’s Video Folks, Not the Movies
Be Conversational
Gobbledygook and Clichés
Active Voice
Write in Threes
How to End a Story
Car Wars
A Final Thought
Appendix: Reporter’s Checklist
Glossary of Script Cues
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author
Bob Dotson is the epitome of all that a storyteller should be. He finds fascinating subjects, engages the audience, and we come away from his stories feeling better for hearing his stories.
— Ann M. Brill, Dean of the School of Journalism, University of Kansas
A unique and invaluable teaching tool. Make It Memorable offers a view into how a master storyteller like Dotson thinks and the decisions he makes; it breaks down the process of storytelling in a very understandable way.
— Judd Slivka, Missouri School of Journalism
Writing skills—even in this age of visual, multimedia, and web/social media-based news—remain integral to reporting. Dotson takes the reader inside his writing and reporting process through annotated script examples, and helps students understand the most important attribute of being a reporter: curiosity.
— Joe Sampson, Miami University of Ohio
For anyone interested in the art of marrying pictures, sound, and words, Dotson’s text is packed with accessible and fundamental advice. If you want to become a better storyteller and you’re only going to read one book, this is the one to read.
— Steve Sweitzer, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Short, to the point, and filled with tips on how to make a daily story interesting and unique. Make It Memorable really delves into the mind of the reporter, and the process of what it takes to tell a good story, from start to finish.
— Ryan Parkhurst, James Madison University
Teaching broadcast journalism means teaching the craft that Bob Dotson mastered over a 50-year career. While everyone speculates about what news will look and sound like tomorrow, Dotson reminds us to embrace our storytelling roots today. Anyone who wants to inspire journalists to write as well as Bob Dotson does should certainly read anything he writes, including this book.
— Keren Henderson, Syracuse University
Rarely do you get a chance to see how a master storyteller works. This is it. Bob Dotson’s wonderful book shows you how to build great stories step by step. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Katie Couric, Global Anchor, Yahoo! News
Bob Dotson is a master at this difficult craft of writing and producing television news stories. His book is a treasure for novice and pro alike. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Tom Brokaw, NBC News Special Correspondent
Bob Dotson is a true craftsman at the art of writing for television. Make It Memorable will help any aspiring journalist. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Tim Russert, former host, Meet the Press
In this age of rapid-fire events and ‘get it on the air now’ coverage, Bob’s work stands out as artistic and mature. The perfect combination of information and intelligence. Read this book. Learn from a master. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Matt Lauer, co-host, NBC Today show
Includes transcripts of 10 scripts—6 new in this edition—from Dotson’s American Story segments on NBC’s Today showLinks to online videos for all scripts—plus additional story examples for further study—are provided within the bookEnhanced organization helps readers navigate the wealth of advice in the textNew script annotations highlight how the advice offered in the text is applied in the context of real storiesDozens of new tips for digital age storytelling and how to survive in a world of citizen journalistsThe running script commentary explains:- The choices available,
- Why each element was selected,
- How to “write” with pictures and sound, and
- A step-by-step guide to story structure
Suggestions for creating memorable visual stories under the tightest deadlinesHow-to advice on writing more quickly and concisely
For links to scripts discussed in the text, here.