Capturing authentic narratives - Michele Weldon

譯者: Geoff Chen 審譯者: Jephian Lin

Every day we are bombarded on all platforms of media

每天，我們都被所有媒體平臺上的

with personal stories that span the continuum

各種個人故事、

from the embarrassing and the trivial

或尷尬的瑣碎小事

to the dire and the critical.

疲勞轟炸

The foodie posting photos of every plate of lasagna he orders,

饕客把他們吃的每客 義大利千層麵貼上網

the Iranian blogger describing the shooting death

伊朗部落客描述 Nedā Āghā-Soltān

of Nedā Āghā-Soltān.

被槍擊死亡事件

Authentic narrative is the glue that connects people,

真實的故事是個黏合劑 它使人們彼此連結

providing a compelling reason to keep reading.

提供我們繼續閱讀的充分理由

It makes the personal universal,

它把私人事件上升為公眾議題

transcends the individual,

超越了個體

and makes a story timeless and humanistic.

讓一個故事成為永恆、並且發揚人性

How, as a journalist, do you ask the questions

作為一個記者，你該如何問問題

that yield this type of narrative?

以完成這種類型的故事呢？

You have to know what to ask of whom.

你必須知道 向什麼對象問什麽事

First you need to understand that every piece of journalism

首先你要瞭解，每一則新聞

requires a trifecta of sourcing.

需要有三方資料來源

If you picture the reporting process as depicted by a triangle,

如果你將報導過程想像為一個三角形

one side will be official sources,

它的一邊是 官方資料來源

another side will be overview sources,

另一邊是 概述論式的來源

and a third side will be unofficial sources.

而第三邊是 非官方消息來源

All three components are necessary in every well-reported piece.

這三個元素在 任何完整的新聞中都缺一不可

The first side has official sources.

第一側有官方消息來源

Those are the people with titles and expertise,

這些人擁有頭銜與專門知識

who own the company; are spokespeople for the movement.

他們可能是企業老闆 可能是某一事件的代言人

They tell you the numbers, and the answers

他們告訴你 數據、答案、

to how much, how many, where, when, and who.

還有數量、 地點、時間、和對象

A second side of the triangle includes overview sources:

這三角的第二側 包括概論式的消息來源：

academics, consultants, authors,

學者、 顧問、 作者、

who are not directly connected as stakeholders,

一些與事件沒有直接利益關係的人

but have knowledge of the big picture.

但他們擁有描述事件全貌的知識

Yet it is the third side of the trifecta - unofficial sources -

然而，這三角的第三側 ——非官方消息來源——

who hold the power of the individual's insight.

掌握了個人見解的力量

This is where you can find the why,

就是在這兒，你可以找到事件的源由

Giving consequence on the event, trend, phase, or idea

它提供事件、 趨勢、 階段、或想法的前因後果

and what it means on a soul level to someone affected by it.

以及在靈魂層面 所影響與涉及的意義

So how do you mine for the gems,

所以，你如何從中挖掘寶藏

identifying what is compelling from what is chatter?

查明是什麼令人信服？ 以及是什麽打動人心？

You ask surprising questions.

你提出令人驚訝的問題

To achieve the complicated, fragile human connection,

為了實現複雜、 脆弱的人性聯繫

you regard the stories of every subject as sacred.

你把每一主題的故事都視為神聖

Realize that an anecdote is oxygen

意識到，趣聞軼事是氧氣

that breathes life into a grey story of exposition,

將事實和資料

facts and data.

形成充滿活力的故事

What the surgeon did at home the morning he operated on a woman's brain tumor.

外科醫師對那女人進行腦腫瘤手術 當天早晨在家裡做什麽

How it feels to dream and train for the Olympics for a lifetime.

夢想著奧運、和為奧運會訓練的感覺是什麽

There are times when it is important to convey information quickly,

有時候快速地傳達資訊是很重要的

to present bulleted facts and updates.

這樣才能 分點敘述事實和即時更新

When a situation is urgent, when action is required now,

當緊急情況出現時，當即刻必須採取行動時

when you need to know where the tornado will hit,

當你需要知道龍捲風來襲的地點時

how fast the fire is spreading, and if it will reach your home today.

火災如何地蔓延，並且，它是否在今天殃及你家

But the narrative personal stories

但個人故事的敘述

that contribute to the buffet of journalism

這項豐富了新聞自助餐的東西

are pieces that have the luxury of a slow dance of information.

是原始資訊演出的這齣慢舞 的額外奢華片段

It is this artful solicitation of story

它是對一則故事的懇切邀約

that will make the journalism memorable

將使得這新聞令人難以忘卻

and will deliver the narrative bond that will connect us to each other.

並傳遞使我們彼此連結的 故事的力量