Here we will post some advice for the people who want to write for the Azeroth Journal, hope you find it useful!

• Tips for interviews.
• Tips on how to write an article.

TIPS FOR INTERVIEWS

Preparing the interview:

First, try to find as much information as you can about the character you're going to interview: biography, job, friends and foes, etc. The more you know, the more you'll be able to ask about. Search the forums and guild sites, and don't hesitate to contact the interviewee for any doubts.

When you've gathered all the data, make a list of the questions you'll throw at the interviewee. Think about the things that your readers would like to know, and use the information you have to dig deeper into that character's life. Don't forget to separate and organize the questions in themes: biography, guild, job, current projects, etc.

Agree on a time and place with the interviewee. Bear in mind that a crowded location isn't a good choice, you don't want to be disturbed by other people. You'll want to take some pictures, so I recommend visiting the place first to have an idea of the positions from where you can get nice shoots. And last, the location should be related in some way to the character you're going to interview.

It's important to remain impartial: don't let your character's personal ideas to interfere with the interview! You're here to know more about your interviewee, not to judge him.

Conducting and recording the interview:

I highly recommend using macros, or copy-paste, to make things smoother. If you're going to copy-paste, write down all the questions in a text file, with "/s " before each one of them, like this:
/s I've heard that you were born in Gnomeregan, is that true?
/s And what can you tell me of the former glory of your birth city?

You can also include some emotes, like:
/e opens her purse and pulls out a pencil and a small notebook.

You can execute the game in windowed mode, and copy-paste each sentence from your text file. That way, you'll only have to type a few words every now and then.

To record the interview, you can use any log-writing addon, the one I use is WoWScribe: it records all /say, /tell, /emote, and you can add any other channel you want to log.

Remember that you can hit Alt+Z to hide/show the interface, in order to take clean screenshots.

After the interview:

Time to write things down. First, start with an introduction: at least "where, when, who". Describe the interviewee's looks and attitude, and the location.

Now, you have to polish all that has been stored in your log. Again, organize all that has been said in themes, and separate them clearly with comments. Don't forget to add all the emotes that your interviewee used! It isn't just about what he/she said, but also how it was said. Example:

Question: What do you think about <insert enemy guild's name, for example>?
Answer: I pity them... (shakes his head with sadness) OR
Answer: I pity them... (grins wickedly, leaning his hand in his sword)

Last, one or two paragraphs to close it. You can talk about the general impression you got, but beware of judging and try to keep it impartial.

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TIPS ON HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE

FROM THE ALLIANCE HERALD FORUM
Posted with permission of The Alliance Herald, and the author, Laitaine.

The INTRO:

I is for INTERESTING
It needs to be the most interesting part of the entire story. It can be:
• the latest piece of news
• the most outstanding information.

N is for NOW
One essential difference between news intros and other forms of communication is that chronology is abandoned for the NOW angle.
Often, stories are `running'stories - ones that began some time ago with a major news point and are now being followed up with various angles.

T is for TIGHT
The language needs to be concise, with no unnecessary words or information. At the end of every intro you write, look at it again and see which words or clauses you can lose. The eye is the camera to the brain - TV cameras spoon-feed us with simple images. If we are to compete, we must present our own clear images in words.
Count the prepositions if the intro seems too long. Get rid of one or two clauses. Aim for 14 to 20 words. It may be even shorter. In any case, have the courage to pick the best angle and leave everything else to the following paragraphs. In brief, make one striking point clearly and concisely.

R is for RIGHT
There is no amount of explanation that can justify inaccuracy. We are in the business of maximizing the essence of any story so that ordinary people are attracted to it. But we must never twist it until it becomes misleading. The great professional writes clever intros without changing the facts.

O is for OUTSTANDING
This is the part of the story which hooks in the reader. It must have power so that the interest the reader has shown in the headline continues through the intro and leads him on to the rest of the story. The intro is the reporter's opportunity to demonstrate salesmanship, to show he has a news sense which is in touch with the readers. Ideally the entire headline content is contained in the intro - or at least the main thrust of it.

How to decide what the news point will be in the intro:
List the key words (usually between eight and ten) that strike you as being the most important in the story. When you have done so, go through them and knock out any which are not so outstanding. Those left will probably give you the basis of an intro.

Ask yourself, what would you say if a friend asked you in the evening to describe the high spot of your day?
Do not:
• start with numbers if you can avoid it.
• begin with `The' - try and think of something else
• start with the names of councils or committees.
• begin with names unless they are worth it.
• start with quotes.
• have an intro full of unnecessary punctuation. Let it flow.
• invert sentences (e.g. Fined £200 for shoplifting, John Smith ...)
• overdo it (Tempers flared ...blazing row .., stormy debate ... amazing
discovery ... shock ... horror ... slam .., rap) Get rid of them!
• use puns unless they are particularly appropriate and original - and you are
sure no one could be misled. If in doubt, play it straight

Do:
• make every word count.
• use short, simple sentences.
• start the intro with a phrase that has got impact.

Story structure

There are no hard and fast rules about story structure. The route you take after working out the intro can differ with every piece of copy.
But there is a formula, which can be used to help you develop the instinct of how to put the facts of a story in a readable order.
Always remember the Johnston Press training philosophy about stories - get the facts, tell it straight, keep it simple.

The WHAT Formula
The key to success is to follow the WHAT triangle guidelines. List things in order of importance following the WHAT formula:

What happened.

How it happened - answer the key questions in the first two, three or four paragraphs and use a key quote (if there is one) high in the copy.

Amplify - go on to amplify the facts of the story in a chronological order.

Tie-up - use the least relevant information to tie the story up at the end.

Importance

News story structure is always one of descending order of importance. The intro contains the most outstanding facts in the story - the story in a nutshell.

In deciding the intro line and content you can ask yourself: What would be the first thing I would say to give the impact of the tale to the news desk? Don't forget the key words technique.

The next couple of pars often cause problems. But it follows that what you do after the intro is to deal with the next most important point - the next thing you would give to the news editor, and so on.

By the end of the third or fourth par all the salient points should have been included. You will have answered the key questions - Who? What? Why? Where? When? How? Sometimes the process will take two or three pars - it depends on the complexity of the story.

Remember the need for good pace - plenty of full stops to separate facts, especially in stories with lots of facts and figures.

I have noticed that you tend to tell a story chronologically, and sometimes we don’t get to the crux of it until halfway through your (exceedingly long) copy.

Quotes

Nothing tells a story better, in a more dynamic and interesting way, than a succession of powerful, relevant quotes from the person who is at the centre of the story. They bring copy to life and give rhythm and pace in the same way that pertinent use of full stops can.

If you have one outstanding quote, use it as close to the intro as you can. In any case, use it as soon as you have written the intro and `set the scene'. Keep broken quotes to a minimum. They spoil the flow of text and betray a poor shorthand note. Normally try to quote in complete sentences.

Don't use more than three paragraphs of quote without gently interrupting the flow. Use a sentence of indirect speech, throw in a statistic, repeat the name of the person speaking with a descriptive clause or, at least, use a conjunction like ‘he added’ or ‘Mr Smith added.’

Balance

Every story needs to be legal, ethical and balanced. There is an automatic need for any reporter who quotes an opinion from one side of the argument to carry the other side as well. Always represent both sides early in the story, even if a lot of the detailed replies have to wait until the end.

Tie up

The least important facts come in the last couple of pars. They will tie up any loose strands or detail less important information.

Copy and punctuation

Sentences

Keep them short and simple.

Long, flowing sentences meandering around the subject may be acceptable in certain novels, but are not appreciated by newspaper editors. Journalism is based on information - so keep copy simple and straight to the point.

Try to make sure that sentences are not all the same length. That makes copy boring.

Don't invert sentences.

Punctuation

In newspapers punctuation serves to help the reader understand the words easily and quickly. A common error is to join separate sentences with a comma instead of separating them with a full point.

Take care not to use poor punctuation that distorts the meaning. There is a big difference between:
She went back to the house where she had been living with a man
And
She went back to the house, where she had been living, with a man.

Be careful as well not to use too many commas. These can sometimes stop the flow of the story.

Accuracy

Journalists live by these two phrases (edited for swearing):
“Accuracy is god”
And
“Check, double check, and check again.”

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