The best journalism class I never taught
Remember that Atlanta Magazine story, “The Last Heavy Footfalls of Doc Hullender,” that I raved about a few months ago? Today, the author of that article, Thomas Lake, came to my Media Writing class. He gave my students a great introduction to the art of journalism. Where does it begin? With a commitment to honesty and a gentle spirit that appreciates the humanity in all of us.
Here’s Lake and one of my students, Ivy Bailey. He asked the class to jot down a few sentences about a memory we have that made us feel electric. Bailey shared her memory — being a soldier in California and standing in formation as the morning bugle played and the sunlight rose above the mountains. She got chills as she recalled it. So did I. Lake’s point? Convey to your readers the same jolt of electricity.
If you haven’t read “Doc Hullender,” please do. It definitely conveys that jolt. I also recommend you read some of Lake’s other work, particularly 2 on 5, a tale about basketball and life.
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