{"id":15910,"date":"2025-08-01T13:08:50","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T13:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/?p=15910"},"modified":"2025-08-01T13:08:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T13:08:51","slug":"a-cure-for-story-paralysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/2025\/08\/01\/a-cure-for-story-paralysis\/","title":{"rendered":"A cure for story paralysis"},"content":{"rendered":"    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/about\/subscribe-to-nieman-storyboard\/\"><em>Sign up for the Nieman Storyboard newsletter,<\/em><\/a><em>&nbsp;delivered every Friday in your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">***<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Dear Storyboard community,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>Midway through <a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/2025\/07\/31\/pulitzer-lane-degregory-power-of-local-storytelling\/\">my podcast conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lane DeGregory<\/a>, I told her about a problem I&#8217;ve had in the past with reporting and writing projects:\u00a0I would sit on multiple story ideas, in a state of paralysis, unable to decide which one to pursue. What if I chose the wrong one?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>DeGregory said she didn&#8217;t have that problem. &#8220;I think we&#8217;re always waiting for the perfect story, and it&#8217;s kind of like waiting for the perfect time to have a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>In other words, decide, and get on with it. Picking one subject or angle isn\u2019t the only decision you&#8217;ll ever make, as DeGregory has proved during her 25-year career at the Tampa Bay Times. She&#8217;s a prolific storyteller, an inspiring teacher, and there are lessons from every piece she writes. Her 2023 anthology, <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/the-the-girl-in-the-window-and-other-true-tales-an-anthology-with-tips-for-finding-reporting-and-writing-nonfiction-narratives\/18848293\">&#8220;The Girl in the Window and Other True Tales,&#8221;<\/a> includes specific notes and annotations on how she reported and wrote some of her classic pieces, including <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.tampabay.com\/projects\/girl-in-the-window\/\">the title story<\/a>, which won the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pulitzer.org\/winners\/lane-degregory\">Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 2009<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>On her website, DeGregory shares &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lanedegregory.org\/teaching\/\">a letter to young journalists<\/a>,&#8221; but really it&#8217;s timeless advice for all of us:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-quote mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>I wish I had known that it was okay to make mistakes, that no matter how brilliant \u2014 or bad \u2014 your story is, another paper will come out tomorrow, so it\u2019s okay to try something that might not work. But it\u2019s not okay not to try. Or to bore yourself by always doing what\u2019s safe. Or to think your readers will care if you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>Thank you, Lane. Here&#8217;s to the next story.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-heading   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/2025\/07\/31\/pulitzer-lane-degregory-power-of-local-storytelling\/\">Pulitzer winner Lane DeGregory on the power of local storytelling<\/a><\/h2>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-image mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/2025\/07\/31\/pulitzer-lane-degregory-power-of-local-storytelling\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"741\" src=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-1024x741.jpg\" alt=\"Lane DeGregory interviews Kalin Stokes. Photo by Dirk Shadd\" class=\"wp-image-15885\" style=\"width:656px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-1024x741.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-768x556.jpg 768w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-1536x1112.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-2048x1483.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/degregory-kalin-stokes-150x110.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lane DeGregory interviews Kalin Stokes about a housing experiment in St. Petersburg. Photo by Dirk Shadd, courtesy Tampa Bay Times<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>[ <a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/2025\/07\/31\/pulitzer-lane-degregory-power-of-local-storytelling\/\">Get the show notes<\/a> ]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-html mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<div id=\"buzzsprout-player-17590207\"><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/2449998\/episodes\/17590207-pulitzer-winner-lane-degregory-on-the-power-of-local-storytelling.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-17590207&#038;player=small\" type=\"text\/javascript\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>[ Follow us in <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/nieman-storyboard\/id1804505440\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/4cN4SOwf5Am05PoA9wckcA\">Spotify<\/a>, or your <a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.buzzsprout.com\/2449998\/episodes\">favorite podcast app<\/a>. ]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-spacer mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<div style=\"height:39px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-heading   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Links of note<\/h2>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-image mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/venezuelan-immigrants-trump-deported-cecot\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"494\" src=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-7.10.56\u202fAM-1024x494.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15916\" style=\"width:718px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-7.10.56\u202fAM-1024x494.png 1024w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-7.10.56\u202fAM-300x145.png 300w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-7.10.56\u202fAM-768x371.png 768w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-7.10.56\u202fAM-1536x741.png 1536w, https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/app\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-31-at-7.10.56\u202fAM.png 1562w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-list mb-4 list max-w-screen-full mx-auto pl-5 \">\n            \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When data-gathering is part of the story: <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/venezuelan-immigrants-trump-deported-cecot\/\">ProPublica has created a database<\/a> with individual narratives from the more than 230 Venezuelan immigrants who were taken from the U.S. and sent to the CECOT prison in El Salvador. This month, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.motherjones.com\/politics\/2025\/07\/we-were-kidnapped-prisoner-swap-venezuela-bukele-cecot-trump-ms13-deportation-el-salvador\/\">more than 200 of them were released and sent to Venezuela<\/a>. \u201cWe spent four months without any contact with the outside world,\u201d Arturo Su\u00e1rez told Mother Jones. \u201cWe were kidnapped.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/transom.org\/2025\/revisiting-interviewing-shy-people\/\">On interviewing shy people<\/a>: \u201cSome people just take longer to open up. It can help if you record something in the field with them. Feel free to ask the same (or similar) question many times. It just gives them a chance to reflect more. Ira Glass has said he\u2019ll often ask someone the same thing 4 or 5 times. That made me feel better because I do this a lot.\u201d This is from Erika Lantz, who with her sister, Elin Lantz-Lesser, interviewed former nuns in Mother Teresa\u2019s order for the podcast \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-turning-the-sisters-who-left\/id1665909554\">The Turning: The Sisters Who Left<\/a>.\u201d&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For Defector, <a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/authors\/eva-holland\/\">Eva Holland<\/a> writes about <a href=\"https:\/\/defector.com\/why-did-national-geographic-disappear-its-own-documentary-about-a-queer-climate-scientist\">a National Geographic documentary that has gone missing<\/a> \u2014&nbsp;many questions, no definitive answers, and few willing to speak or go on the record.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let&#8217;s wrap this week by looking at how <a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.org\/2025\/05\/08\/kim-cross-narratives-women-cycling-afghanistan\/\">Storyboard contributor Kim Cross<\/a> sets up her characters and their obstacles. It&#8217;s a story for ESPN about her family&#8217;s longtime tradition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-sports\/story\/_\/id\/45746376\/bo-jackson-bo-bikes-bama-auburn-football-alabama-football-tornado\">riding in Bo Jackson&#8217;s charity bike race<\/a>:&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-quote mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>[Cross&#8217;s son] Austin was 6 the first time he did Bo Bikes Bama. I towed him in a Burley bike trailer as he passed out Easter eggs. At 8 he was the youngest rider to pedal the 20-mile loop around Auburn, crushing the hills and becoming an unofficial mini-mascot. At 9, he raced a boy up the climbs, shook Bo&#8217;s hand, and mailed him a hand-written thank you note:<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p><em>I think it is great that an NFL <\/em><em><s>player<\/s><\/em><em> star like you takes the time and energy out of your day to do this. In a few years I might be able to catch up to you! &#8230; Thank you for putting on Bo Bikes Bama. Your <\/em><em><s>fre<\/s><\/em><em> friend, Austin Freyer<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>Then we moved to Idaho. Seven years flew by. Austin elongated into a lean, taut 17-year-old cyclist on a national devo team, training 15 hours a week for mountain bike nationals. He&#8217;ll finally be able to catch up to Bo. That is, if it doesn&#8217;t storm.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>&#8220;One hundred percent chance of rain,&#8221; a volunteer says. &#8220;Like an inch. At least.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>If lightning strikes, the ride will be cancelled. If not, we&#8217;ll ride in the rain. In 14 years of Bo Bikes Bama, they&#8217;ve never once had bad weather. Maybe the lucky streak has run out for an outdoor event held at the peak of tornado season in the heart of Dixie Alley.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>History, character, goals, tension. Don\u2019t you want to keep reading?<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>Keep sharing your stories,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-paragraph mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n<p>Mark Armstrong<br><a href=\"https:\/\/nieman.harvard.edu\/mark-armstrong-named-editor-of-nieman-storyboard\/\">Editor<\/a><br>Nieman Storyboard<br><a href=\"https:\/\/niemanstoryboard.buzzsprout.com\">Follow the Nieman Storyboard Podcast<\/a>&nbsp;<br>On Bluesky: <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:nejd5yomd3xtdcdg267bqim5\">@niemanstoryboard.org<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"  core-block\">\n        <div class=\"block block--core block--core-classic mb-5   max-w-screen-full mx-auto\">\n            \n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-subscribe full-width\">\n            <h2 class=\"subscribe-title\">Subscribe to Storyboard<\/h2>\n        \n            <div class=\"subscribe-content\">\n            <p>Get insights into the craft of journalism and storytelling in your inbox, delivered on Fridays.<!-- wp:spacer {\"height\":\"39px\"} --><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    \n                <div class=\"subscribe-embed\">\n                            <div class=\"mt-5\">\n                 <div translate=\"no\" class='mailmunch-forms-widget-1154494'><\/div>\n\n                <\/div>\n               \n                    <\/div>\n    \n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lane DeGregory&#8217;s advice on not playing it safe, plus: how to interview shy people<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":15896,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[427,425],"topics":[],"authors":[410],"issue":[],"class_list":["post-15910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-editor","tag-documentary","tag-podcasts","authors-mark-armstrong"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A cure for story paralysis - Nieman Storyboard<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lane DeGregory&#039;s advice on not playing it safe, plus: how to 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