Professional writers don’t usually get to choose what subject they’ll have to write about. Almost everyone needs content, including those who work in so-called “boring” fields. Sometimes a writer might be asked to write about something so niche, that only a handful of people are likely to care. But no matter how narrow or dry the subject, it deserves something engaging written about it.
This case study is an excellent example of dealing with a subject that seems far from most writers' areas of interest. The company in question is a large global corporation which works in the communication business and has been around since the 1980s. While they deal with technology, they are not really considered hi-tech, and much of their work is highly specialized in their field.
The company had just had a first-of-its-kind convention for call-center operators in the greater Denver area. They wanted to celebrate the convention's success with an article covering it for their monthly newsletter.
I think it’s clear that a convention of call-center operators is not exactly the type of news that fires people imagination. More importantly, it’s not a subject within my wheelhouse, and I suspect most writers will not have much experience talking about the wonders of call-center operator conventions. But we still need to make it enjoyable to read, so here’s how to go about that.
1. Someone Cares About This Tremendously
No matter that the subject is not for you, there is someone out there for whom this is interesting, and you’re writing for them. This is true for any subject. And as a rule, if there is one person who finds something interesting, there are others. It’s essential to approach each new subject with the mindset that someone, out there, cares about it.
The first step to approaching any subject that you normally engage with is to reach out to those who are passionate about it. In this case, the company was more than happy to put me in touch with some of the attendants of the convention, which let me get a firm grasp on what was so exciting about this convention—it was the first of its kind, some speakers talked about troubleshooting common issues, they got to connect with people in their field from pretty far away. In addition, it allowed me to get some quotes to use in the article.
2. There is a Reason For Everything
Companies don’t usually spend money without cause. If they do something, it’s because they have goals in mind that they want to achieve. If you’re writing about it, chances are these goals were met. Find what the company was after, why it was important for them, and why they believe they were successful, and you have the makings of a story.
In our case, the corporation’s goals mainly revolved around brand awareness and customer appreciation. But one of the directors I spoke with said something that caught my attention: Call-center operators have a high burnout. it’snot exactly a glamorous profession, and it can get mentally draining. The convention is a type of a rare treat for many of the goers, breaking the monotony of their work week. Burnout is an ongoing issue in many workplaces, and it was important for the company to acknowledge its effects and how to mitigate them. That angle added a bit more meat to the forming article.
3. Bringing It Together
Now that we have the background information, relevant quotes, and several angles to explore, it’s time to tell the story itself. I find that a good place to start is with the “spokepersons' template” which goes: Main message, secondary message, historical context, human element, repeat main message.
In our case, a first draft of the article might look a bit like this:
Main message - “COMPANY NAME has held a convention for call-center operators in the greater Denver area and NUMBER of people attended for <List of activities>
Secondary message - “The convention goers had a chance to get some much-needed off-time while they networked <go into how much of a problem burnout can be - quote someone if necessary>”
Historical context - “this is the first such gathering for this area, focused not on management level employees but on all call-center operators <go into details on what sets this apart>”
Human element - “NAME, one of the organizers, said <Quote about how the event was perceived, how it felt to be a part of it>”
Repeat of main message - “The successful convention paves the way for more in the future, <list why the convention was successful>”
With this first draft, we can now move forward to editing. Moving the paragraphs around as needed and adding more meat when necessary. The result should distil all the information we’ve gathered about the convention and how it was received into a breezy, readable format.
Doing It again
One article done is nothing for the professional writer. There’s always something to write on the horizon. Even if a subject seems at first glance like it would be impossible to have something interesting written about it, that’s never the case. Search for the people passionate about the topic, listen to them, understand the why behind it all - and a picture should begin to form. Good luck!
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