fandomhigh | Writing Workshop - 6/13 - Journalism Classroom

Chloe was on her laptop again when everyone came in, but she wasn't doing anything other than staring at the screen as though she wanted to type something, but couldn't remember what.

When everyone had come in, she snapped out of her little reverie. "Hey guys, and ladies. Okay, so for the past few weeks, we've been talking about different types of non-fictional writing, and I figured we'd segue into fiction with a little something that mixes them both." She motions to the piles of The National Enquirer and Star ~~whose websites are down, woe!~~ that are sitting on the table. "Gossip is one of the worst ways an editor can make their newspaper or magazine copies sell, in that it's a sad, pathetic last resort. Unfortunately, it's also one of the best ways to make copies sell, because it usually works."

"What I want you to do today is either take the news story you wrote last week, or a different event, if you'd like, and sensationalize it. Write something that'll make people want to grab the story and read it right where they're standing. You can exaggerate and lie about the details - that's the whole point of gossip - it just has to be based on something that might possibly be verifiably true."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Janet's innate sense of ~~nosiness~~ curiosity had her peering over at Liz's paper, and her eyes widened minutely. She scrawled out a note and passed it over to Liz.

What was that?

Nothing! Elizabeth scrawled frantically in return.

With that expression, it had to have been something!

Nothing that is suitable for discussion in the middle of class!!

Oh. Oh. Okay, then. Later? What are you writing your assignment on?

Yes, definitely later. And I have no clue! I don't do gossip! How about yours?

Marie and I figured our stories out earlier. I'm writing about how large numbers of people really did go to the library to research brownie recipes. Because that's ever going to happen.

Do we even have brownie recipes in the library?

We have everything in the library. Not that I've ever looked for brownie recipes.

I don't need to look for brownie recipes in the library. I have a perfectly good one of my own! :-)

You do? How come you've never made brownies, then?

I don't know; just never done it. Maybe I will later!

I think you ought to. But that's because it involves chocolate. I forgot to replenish the supply in my backpack this morning.

What's in it for me? ;-) And that was silly!

Whatever you want. And yes, I'm very much regretting it now.

Oh really? :-D I might have a Milky Way in my bag.

Janet glanced sidelong at Liz.

Really. You have chocolate. Share.

She paused, frowned, and added, Please?

Elizabeth grinned and leant down into her bag. She pulled out a Milky Way bar and handed it to Janet.

"You can pay me back later," she said in a quiet voice.