Will You Be A “Stringer”?

The key to a great experience on this site is great content.

And the key to great content is finding great stories and getting them onto the site.

It might be a “News” item like Matt Flynn’s run for Governor of Wisconsin.

Or it might be a “Potpourri” item, like Tom McNamee’s work protecting Grizzly Bears.

I heard about these two stories by chance and was able to persuade some Classmates who were close to the stories to create a first draft.  Paul Abrams (ES) wrote about Matt, and Jean-Pierre Jordan (BK) did the Grizzly Bear post.  As webmaster, I applied some light editing and mounted some pictures; and voilà!, we now have two very interesting, visually appealing stories.

Undoubtedly, there are LOTS of other stories out there.  But as co-webmaster, I have no way to discover them unless someone like you spots them and tells me.  Sure, Classmates can send in stuff to Class Notes (and they should!).  But neither the Flynn nor the Grizzly Bear story would have been submitted to Class Notes.  I was just lucky to hear about them.

Here’s a good solution:  First, YOU volunteer to become a “stringer” for our site — you know, a deputy reporter who spots good stories.  You can do as much or as little work as you want!  If you find a story but don’t want to write it, you can simply give all the pieces to me, and I’ll take it from there.

In a perfect world, there’d be 2-4 stingers per college. If you volunteer, you’d join me and some other stringers on an occasional con-call (a couple times / year, max).

The “job” is straightforward: Keep your ears open re: Classmates in your college — or in your major, or in any of your extracurricular activities.

For example, if you are talking to Reed Hundt and learn that he, Fred Goldberg and Richard Tedlow (all 69ers!) have launched a nationwide group to fix the Electoral College — well, THAT’s a story that will appeal to a number of classmates.

If you volunteer, I have some tools and leads for you.  Yes, it will be a bit of time, but it will be fun and the “work” is minimal, enjoyable and easy.  If you have questions, or want to volunteer, please email me at support@Yale1969.org or call me at (650) 428-1395.

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Basic Job:  Reach out to people you know in Yale 1969 and look/listen for good stories.

What’s A Good Story:  Somebody doing something either interesting or big.  I’m looking for News in the sense of something newsworthy (e.g., someone arguing a case before the Supreme Court or making a major scientific discovery) or of unique human interest (e.g., someone excelling at Origami or duplicate bridge in a meaningful way).

Frankly, a retirement story or an announcement about a move, or a new grandchild isn’t particularly newsworthy, IMHO.  (If someone wants to submit that for Class Notes, that’s appropriate and fine, but I’m looking for meatier or cooler stories for the “News” or “Potpourri” sections on the home page.)

What Happens When You Find A Good Story?

First, you gather the basic elements of the story (who, what, when, where, why, how, how much) and collect your thoughts about how the story would be “told” for the Yale1969.org audience.

Then call me.  If you want to write it up, great.  If not, you and/or I will find someone else to craft  the story, including pictures or other graphically interesting ways to present it.  (The Web is primarily a visual medium.  Readers like graphics, bullet lists, “callout quotes” and other things that make the reading experience better.)

Let’s talk!  My guess is that this will take 4 hours per quarter, and it will give you a great excuse to call folks you know (I have phone numbers!).  At a minimum, you can have some pleasant catch-up conversations while trolling for good story ideas!

If you can be a “stringer” contact me asap, email or phone.

Wayne Willis, Webmaster