“What are the most memorable 5 stories over the past 5 days?” I challenged myself… I scratched my head, tried to remember but woe unto me, I could find none.
“Much ado about nothing” is surely one of my favorite prose from the 18th century writer Shakespeare. Partly because decades and centuries after he put pen to paper, his writings are not only memorable but also relevant.
The title implies that a great fuss (“much ado”) is made of something which is insignificant (“nothing”),. This takes me straight to our URN stories.
In “Much Ado about nothing” Shakespeare shows a running theme- deception and self deception. “The games and tricks played on people often have the best intentions—to make people fall in love, to help someone get what they want, or to make someone realize their mistake. However, not all are meant well.
Likewise the stories we write often have the best intentions – to make people know, learn, get aware, mobilize and socialize, help people realize the follies in society … but we do not always achieve that.
As a writer and editor, that’s a haunting challenge. I look at the website and ask myself “how many of the 20 stories uploaded per day, will remain memorable, just a day after they are written. What are the 10 most unforgettable stories this week? Please call them out.
Why should a story be memorable? It means the writer has beaten all deceptions and has made an impact on the audience. “Wow I feel better today, because I know a good lifestyle can help me control the possibilities of contracting cancer. How can we make them memorable? Any ideas…?
We are writing a lot, but is it much ado about nothing?
Story Idea
WHO statistics showing cancer deaths across the world are still high… What is the context for Uganda? What is the situation? How many deaths are we recording per year? What types of cancers are more common in Uganda? Why? Talk to a doctor and find out if any efforts are in place to control cancer deaths?
Quote of the Week
Confrontation is not a dirty word. Sometimes it’s the best kind of journalism as long you don’t confront people just for the sake of a confrontation.