A trip down memory lane this weekend reminded me of the moment I decided to pursue a journalism career, and how I'm applying that experience to the flipside - public relations.
I cleaned out my childhood desk at my parents' home as part of a larger purging/refining project underway and found a file folder I compiled when I was in 3rd grade. The Challenger shuttle explosion left an indelible mark on my heart, and it inspired me to clip every news article I could find about the tragedy in The Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Jim Borgman cartoon is poignant.
The story was emotional for many of us - especially us schoolchildren who watched the disaster unfold in real-time, sitting criss-cross applesauce as we huddled in classrooms together to see America's first teacher in space.
Writing was an endeavor that came naturally to me - I started writing little poems in 2nd grade. But the Challenger explosion and the news coverage that followed gave me a wide-eyed view of how journalism could be a vehicle for storytelling and writing that makes people think and feel.
That's the magic of storytelling. The best stories inspire us, make us wistful, challenge us, or stir up other rousing sentiments. The best content makes you think and feel.
Those are the stories that journalists are desperate to tell.
I spent the first 10 years of my career working in a newsroom, but now I'm on the other side (the "dark side" as journos call it). As a PR pro, I am still coaxing my clients to share and develop story pitches that compel the reader/viewer/listener to feel something.
Good PR is about more than telling people something new. Good PR also involves explaining why the reader needs to or should want to know new news.
Good PR is truly magical because it combines facts like data points and strategic positioning with tangible messaging and ethereal sentiment.
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