Online news is about telling and showing telling, demonstrating and interacting wi ht the news.
Make use of the different options available through Online media. Add a print feature. Add multimedia. Add interactive tools. Keep the audience interested with the elements available.
Dig deep and allow multimedia tools to include depth to the article. Instead of sidebar articles, use video, audio or linked sites to give better information.
Basic Forms of Storytelling
PRINT PLUS
This form is, at basic level, text articles.
Pictures and other multimedia are added to text articles that were not written for the internet.
Best for news organizations because it allows for print to be put online.
CLICKABLE INTERACTIVE
Considered interactive forms of newspapers.
Combines linear and non-linear storytelling to add depth to the story. Also, this gives the reader choices as to how they want to gather the story.
Time consuming, but worth it. Readers are drawn more to this type then any other type of storytelling.
SLIDESHOWS
It puts together multiple images to tell the story. Mostly adds caption to add emotion and depth to the story.
A picture is worth a thousand words. So choose pictures that tell a comprehensive story.
AUDIO STORIES
Use audio when sound is more powerful then words. Use photos to draw people in to the sound clip.
Audio can convey what words can not always express. Tone, expression, pauses and/or nuances can make a story emotionally powerful for the reader.
They do not just read what the person had to say. The reader hears exactly how the person expressed that sentiment.
NARRATED SLIDESHOWS
Like slideshows, narrated slide shows tell a story with pictures.
However, narrated slideshows incorporate voice instead of captions to add depth. As the pictures appear, the sound corresponds with the pictures.
This is useful with strong images and sound bites.
LIVE CHATS
Not necessarily a storytelling format in linear form, but it does tell a story.
Chats create the opportunity for Question and Answering sessions that tell a story about news, people, or even gossip.
It may not always be correct, but its the way to get readers to ask live questions and get answers.
Must be moderated. If not, it is worthless and losses its effect.
QUIZZES AND SURVEYS
Stories can be told by breaking it into questions that the audience can answer.
It creates interaction with learning.
And people love games.
ANIMATED STORIES
Use animates stories to bring news or stories to life.
Look at editorial cartoons for examples.
Don't over use animation and humor, but incorporate it to keep the readers attention.
Do not bore the reader.
INTERACTIVE WEBCASTS
If you can stream live video, add a question/answer session. Beside the video, add links and other things to allow the reader to browse after or before the live feed.
If there is a television viewing that can be enhanced by online tools, then use them. It may give them a second look at something or even help them find out what they missed.
MULTIMEDIA INTERACTIVES
Use all the elements of online storytelling to make a story.
Multiple form elements can create hybrid forms that can keep the reader enthralled for hours.
So, don not be afraid to be different and try mixing and matching new things.
* All information from "Online Storytelling Forms" by Jonathan Dube
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