The Awl http://www.theawl.com/ Be Less Stupid Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:10:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 Gawker Honcho: "Writers are Successful to the Extent That They Can Sublimate Their Egotism" http://www.theawl.com/2010/10/gawker-honcho-writers-are-successful-to-the-extent-that-they-can-sublimate-their-egotism http://www.theawl.com/2010/10/gawker-honcho-writers-are-successful-to-the-extent-that-they-can-sublimate-their-egotism#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:10:04 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2010/10/gawker-honcho-writers-are-successful-to-the-extent-that-they-can-sublimate-their-egotism Here's Nick Dentons's memo on today's top Gawker story, an anonymous first-person account of a date with politician Christine O'Donnell, celebrating its "brilliant packaging" and other fine qualities. His advice for journalists: "it's better to get out of the way of the pictures."

From: Nick Denton
Date: October 28, 2010 3:52:52 PM EDT
To: [EDITORIAL]
Subject: Getting out of the way of the story

http://beta.gawker.com/#5674353/i-had-a-one+night-stand-with-christine-odonnell

This Gawker scoop is an example of brilliant packaging. The composite image that shows up on the front is good; the pull quotes; etc.

But, best of all: the story was written in the first person. The journalist is a ghost-writer. The account is much more compelling as a result. As is the headline.

And this points to a general rule on the web. Writers are successful to the extent that they can sublimate their egotism and get out of the way of the story.

Sometimes a video or photo is undermined — not enhanced — by the length of the companion text.

That atmospheric video of the Iceland volcano works because it takes the viewer there; it and the track create a mood. A TV reporter friend of mine, when I told him how successful these clips were, moaned to me: but what do I do? He wants to be the guy at the rim of the volcano, saying: "This is Matt Wells, reporting from Iceland."

But it's better to get out of the way of the pictures.

Unless the story happened to you, or the piece revolves around your opinion, in which case get in the way as much as you can!

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]]> Here's Nick Dentons's memo on today's top Gawker story, an anonymous first-person account of a date with politician Christine O'Donnell, celebrating its "brilliant packaging" and other fine qualities. His advice for journalists: "it's better to get out of the way of the pictures."

From: Nick Denton
Date: October 28, 2010 3:52:52 PM EDT
To: [EDITORIAL]
Subject: Getting out of the way of the story

http://beta.gawker.com/#5674353/i-had-a-one+night-stand-with-christine-odonnell

This Gawker scoop is an example of brilliant packaging. The composite image that shows up on the front is good; the pull quotes; etc.

But, best of all: the story was written in the first person. The journalist is a ghost-writer. The account is much more compelling as a result. As is the headline.

And this points to a general rule on the web. Writers are successful to the extent that they can sublimate their egotism and get out of the way of the story.

Sometimes a video or photo is undermined — not enhanced — by the length of the companion text.

That atmospheric video of the Iceland volcano works because it takes the viewer there; it and the track create a mood. A TV reporter friend of mine, when I told him how successful these clips were, moaned to me: but what do I do? He wants to be the guy at the rim of the volcano, saying: "This is Matt Wells, reporting from Iceland."

But it's better to get out of the way of the pictures.

Unless the story happened to you, or the piece revolves around your opinion, in which case get in the way as much as you can!

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47 comments

]]> http://www.theawl.com/2010/10/gawker-honcho-writers-are-successful-to-the-extent-that-they-can-sublimate-their-egotism/feed 47 Introducing our New Vertical: For Moms Only! http://www.theawl.com/2009/11/introducing-our-new-vertical-for-moms-only http://www.theawl.com/2009/11/introducing-our-new-vertical-for-moms-only#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:55:07 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2009/11/introducing-our-new-vertical-for-moms-only PROSTIE? OR MOMMY?Kidding! This parenting blog gravy train is pretty awesome though. And, thanks to a big article in the LA Times about how they are all product-scarfing prostitutes, the mommy bloggers are all up in arms today. (Most hilarious sentence: "Kraft Foods curried favor with mommy bloggers by bringing some to Los Angeles for the Grilled Cheese Invitational, in an effort to get online parents hungry for cheese.") One mommy-blogger, Christine, quoted in the article-she said "My business is not to bash companies. My business is to create buzz for the products and services we enjoy."-had her husband post a defense on her blog! "Wisk laundry detergent recently invited Christine, all expenses paid, to New York City for a couple of days so she could learn about their product. How fun would that have been? But since she's sold on Tide (no offense to Wisk, which I'm sure has a good product) and she uses it on the bazillion loads of laundry our family churns out each week, she turned Wisk down." Well then, case closed.

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]]> PROSTIE? OR MOMMY?Kidding! This parenting blog gravy train is pretty awesome though. And, thanks to a big article in the LA Times about how they are all product-scarfing prostitutes, the mommy bloggers are all up in arms today. (Most hilarious sentence: "Kraft Foods curried favor with mommy bloggers by bringing some to Los Angeles for the Grilled Cheese Invitational, in an effort to get online parents hungry for cheese.") One mommy-blogger, Christine, quoted in the article-she said "My business is not to bash companies. My business is to create buzz for the products and services we enjoy."-had her husband post a defense on her blog! "Wisk laundry detergent recently invited Christine, all expenses paid, to New York City for a couple of days so she could learn about their product. How fun would that have been? But since she's sold on Tide (no offense to Wisk, which I'm sure has a good product) and she uses it on the bazillion loads of laundry our family churns out each week, she turned Wisk down." Well then, case closed.

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/11/introducing-our-new-vertical-for-moms-only/feed 15 Last-Minute Racist Pet Costumes! http://www.theawl.com/2009/10/last-minute-racist-pet-costumes http://www.theawl.com/2009/10/last-minute-racist-pet-costumes#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:05 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2009/10/last-minute-racist-pet-costumes JEW DOGS? WHAT'S NEXT!We knew there were plenty of racist human costumes for Halloween but we did not know about the animals. BUT, BUT, BUT-THESE DOGS ARE EPISCOPALIAN!

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]]> JEW DOGS? WHAT'S NEXT!We knew there were plenty of racist human costumes for Halloween but we did not know about the animals. BUT, BUT, BUT-THESE DOGS ARE EPISCOPALIAN!

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/10/last-minute-racist-pet-costumes/feed 46 Top Six Funniest Comments in the 'Idaho Statesman' on the New "Consultancy" Firm Founded by Larry Craig http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/top-six-funniest-comments-in-the-idaho-statesman-on-the-new-consultancy-firm-founded-by-larry-craig http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/top-six-funniest-comments-in-the-idaho-statesman-on-the-new-consultancy-firm-founded-by-larry-craig#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:06:00 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/top-six-funniest-comments-in-the-idaho-statesman-on-the-new-consultancy-firm-founded-by-larry-craig From the Idaho Statesman, on the occasion of the founding of New West Strategies LLC:
1. "I'm glad he was able to 'tap' into some new business."
2. "Consultation on restrooms?"
3. "'Once you're free of it, you really realize how free you really are,' Craig told the Idaho Falls Post Register. Indeed, Mr.Craig! (Is that 'Dancing Queen' by Abba I hear playing in the background?)"
4. "If Kohler or American Standard ever decide to bring out a line of extra-wide toilets, Larry would be the ideal consultant."
5. "Can't wait to read his book: Family Values – The Republican Way. I'm sure it will be endorsed by Ensign, Sanford, Vetter, Foley."
6. "It's all about assuming a 'pro-business' stance."

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]]> From the Idaho Statesman, on the occasion of the founding of New West Strategies LLC:
1. "I'm glad he was able to 'tap' into some new business."
2. "Consultation on restrooms?"
3. "'Once you're free of it, you really realize how free you really are,' Craig told the Idaho Falls Post Register. Indeed, Mr.Craig! (Is that 'Dancing Queen' by Abba I hear playing in the background?)"
4. "If Kohler or American Standard ever decide to bring out a line of extra-wide toilets, Larry would be the ideal consultant."
5. "Can't wait to read his book: Family Values – The Republican Way. I'm sure it will be endorsed by Ensign, Sanford, Vetter, Foley."
6. "It's all about assuming a 'pro-business' stance."

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/07/top-six-funniest-comments-in-the-idaho-statesman-on-the-new-consultancy-firm-founded-by-larry-craig/feed 0 Asian Poses Dot Com: Racist? Accurate? I Don't Know? http://www.theawl.com/2009/06/asian-poses-dot-com-racist-accurate-i-dont-know http://www.theawl.com/2009/06/asian-poses-dot-com-racist-accurate-i-dont-know#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:58:40 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2009/06/asian-poses-dot-com-racist-accurate-i-dont-know I... Do Not KNOW?Today on the Internet: Asian Poses Dot Com is "the definitive guide to Asian poses." 1. It is run by a Chinese guy. 2. It is actually overly-researched to the point where something that seems racist and awkward actually begins to impress you with its internal logic? 3. Also still weird. [via]

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]]> I... Do Not KNOW?Today on the Internet: Asian Poses Dot Com is "the definitive guide to Asian poses." 1. It is run by a Chinese guy. 2. It is actually overly-researched to the point where something that seems racist and awkward actually begins to impress you with its internal logic? 3. Also still weird. [via]

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/06/asian-poses-dot-com-racist-accurate-i-dont-know/feed 14 New Kids On The Twitter Block http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/new-kids-on-the-twitter-block http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/new-kids-on-the-twitter-block#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:42:37 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/new-kids-on-the-twitter-block Two new entrants on Twitter today! Politics oppo research queen Tracy Sefl has arrived, as has aggro New York Times biz reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin, who is already asking if the Times first quarter results would be the same if the paper's website was behind a paywall. Oh this is fun.

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]]> Two new entrants on Twitter today! Politics oppo research queen Tracy Sefl has arrived, as has aggro New York Times biz reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin, who is already asking if the Times first quarter results would be the same if the paper's website was behind a paywall. Oh this is fun.

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/new-kids-on-the-twitter-block/feed 3 Don't Cry For Me Moldova http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/dont-cry-for-me-moldova http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/dont-cry-for-me-moldova#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:09:16 +0000 Choire Sicha http://www.theawl.com/2009/04/dont-cry-for-me-moldova moldovaOur revolutionary anti-Communist Party student friends in adorable landlocked Moldova are organizing via Twitter, says the delightful Ellen Barry in the Times! Maybe the idiot status-update service is not so bad. Except now they are all just retweeting the article. Noise! Signal! Noise!

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]]> moldovaOur revolutionary anti-Communist Party student friends in adorable landlocked Moldova are organizing via Twitter, says the delightful Ellen Barry in the Times! Maybe the idiot status-update service is not so bad. Except now they are all just retweeting the article. Noise! Signal! Noise!

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