Beat the Clock

Our RWI class met only briefly today – just long enough to get our first same-day assignment. The goal: pair up with a classmate, interview each other, and write an 800- to 1,000-word profile -- with multiple sources -- in six hours.

Since we got the assignment at around 11:30AM, my partner, Jeff, and I decided to interview each other over lunch.

Note to self: When on a short deadline, do not go to a restaurant eight blocks away from the computer lab where you’ll be writing your story. (Also, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your watch.)

In a weird way, the whole thing felt like a scavenger hunt. Each of us had to gather facts, find sources, and get quotes, all with the clock ticking. The time pressure actually helped in one respect: it forced me to overcome any hesitancy about calling strangers (even friendly ones) to get information.

In the end, I had about an hour to write the piece. It was too short (about 625 words) and lacked physical description of any kind (glasses, goatee, tattoo, the restaurant where we ate), but it had good quotes and a pretty solid theme.

Oh, and I made the deadline with about five minutes to spare. Whew.

Quote of the day:

I myself have never tipped a cow. --Jeff DelViscio