From Once Upon a Time to the End: Tips for Keeping Readers Engaged in Your Stories

Or as journalists say, from the lead to the kicker. This session explores why beginnings and endings are so important to your writing, and how to nail them every time. Plus, beginnings and endings are just as important in a paragraph as they are to the overall arc of the story. This isn’t just an academic session on writing. This is about grabbing readers’ attention, keeping them engaged, and rewarding them at the end. Where are you likely to lose a reader? In the middle. This hands-on session will leave you with concrete tips to keep readers’ attention until the end.

Presented by: Jean Hodges, Senior Director of News Culture & Communications, Gannett/USA TODAY Network

About our presenter:

Jean Hodges is senior director of news culture and communication for Gannett. She works with local newsrooms throughout the country on strategy, training and diversity initiatives. She’s a news veteran, who spent more than 20 years as a reporter and editor, getting her start at a small daily in Clovis, New Mexico, and working in California, England and Texas before moving back home to the Chicago suburbs. You can follow Jean on Twitter @jeanhodges.

This one-hour GoToWebinar is scheduled to begin promptly at 12 noon, eastern time.  Registrants must have both a computer and audio/phone in order to participate.

There is no cost for PNA members; $20 for non-members.

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A confirmation with log in instructions will be sent to each registrant immediately upon registering and a reminder will be sent one day prior to the session.