A quick guide for student journalists adapted from a column by Chip Scanlan with credit to Don Fry and Roy Peter Clark

1. Coaching Writers
A Quick Guide for Student Journalists
Adapted from a column by Chip Scanlan
by Logan Aimone, MJE

2. The Coaching Way
Developed by Don Fry and Roy Peter Clark
Coaching is based on the idea that the power
to recognize a story’s problems as well as the
means to fix them lie within the person
reporting and writing the piece.
This does not mean they don’t need editors.
In fact, the editor's role is essential to the
writing process.

3. Four goals:
To make use of the knowledge and
experience of the writer.
To give the writer primary responsibility for
the story.
To provide an environment in which the
writer can do the best possible job.
To train the writer, so that editing will be
unnecessary.

4. Where to start?
“How can I help you?”
It’s immensely powerful because the
question, like the approach to editing that it
underlies, places responsibility for the story
on the writer.
Coaching requires active participation, rather
than sitting back and waiting for others to
tell you what to do.

5. Magic Questions
What’s the news?
What’s the story?
What works in this story?
What needs work?

6. Magic Questions
Where can you go to find that information?
Who can you talk to about this story?
What’s the quickest and most compelling
way to begin your story?
What’s the most resonant ending?
What’s your next step?

7. Goals
As a coach, you’re trying to get at these two
root questions:
1. “What is this story about?”
2. “What is the point of this story?”
Coaching is a conversation, not an
interrogation.

8. Let’s do it!
Do you have any questions?