5 October 2026
Spiritual prompt: How the Joseph Smith quote relates to news writing
Joseph Smith taught that if we want God to have mercy on us, we should “have mercy on one another.” I think this relates to news writing because reporters write about real people, and real people can be hurt by the way a story is told.
Showing kindness in news writing does not mean hiding the truth. It means telling the truth without being harsh or unfair. It means asking questions respectfully, quoting people accurately and not twisting someone’s words to make a story more exciting. When I interviewed Lerato and Mpho, I was reminded that they were trusting me with their stories and their money struggles. Compassion also helps a reporter see why a story matters, not just what happened. I want to be a writer who gets the facts right and treats the people behind them with care.
6 October 2026
Professional prompt: Newsworthy versus sensational
In my opinion, something is newsworthy when it is true, timely and matters to a real group of people. Rising petrol prices are a good example. They affect almost everyone and they change often, so readers need to know about them.
Something is sensational when it is written to shock people instead of inform them. Sensational stories lean on dramatic words, fear or gossip, and the facts take a back seat. A simple test I use is to ask what the reader gains. If they learn something useful or understand their world better, it is newsworthy. If they only feel shocked and gain nothing, it is probably sensational. A story can be exciting and still be newsworthy, as long as the excitement comes from the facts and not from exaggeration.
7 October 2026
Professional prompt: The impact of interviewing
Interviewing has changed how I think about writing. Before, I thought good writing came mostly from my own words. After talking to Lerato and Mpho, I saw that the best parts of my story came from them. Lerato told me she visits family less because of how much she spends on petrol, and Mpho said he had to decline a job offer in Pretoria. I could never have made up details like that.
Interviewing also made me a better listener. I learned to ask follow up questions, to let people finish talking and to ask permission and explain that the interview was on the record. Overall, it has made me more confident and more respectful of the people I write about.
8 October 2026
Student’s choice (professional): Why the first sentence matters so much
This week I learned how much work goes into the first sentence. In news writing, the lede has to give the most important facts right away, and the rest of the story follows the inverted pyramid, with the most important information first and the details after. For my petrol story, I opened with Lerato’s bill going from R6000 to R9000 because it was a clear number and a real person.
Writing headlines taught me a similar lesson. A newspaper headline can be longer, but a tweet needs to be short and punchy. I wrote ten options and found that each one worked better on a different platform. I also learned to cut. Every word has to earn its place, and that applies to my blog posts too. Shorter and clearer is almost always better.
9 October 2026
Student’s choice (spiritual): Being honest on the record
When I interview someone, I tell them that everything is on the record and that I will give them credit for their quotes. That made me think about honesty in my own life. Being on the record means my words can be checked and I have to stand by them.
In the gospel, honesty matters the same way. We are asked to be truthful, to keep our word and to treat people fairly even when no one is watching. When I write a quote, I have to make sure it matches what the person really said. That small habit of accuracy feels connected to the bigger habit of integrity. I want to be the same person in private as I am in public, and to be someone people can trust to tell the truth.