TARA Trek: Citizen Journalism Anew: Citizen Journalism Anew One to One Microfund

"Have the best, most surprising, most dramatic, most revealing, most intimately reported, most human and engaging story that editor is likely to see that day or even that week." - advice on writing a query letter in the 2006 Writer's Market

Hmmm, now how many surprising, dramatic, revealing, intimate, human, engaging stories do not see the light of day? (And they'll definitely screw your deadline.) The story is too surprising. Too dramatic. Too revealing. Too intimate. Too human. Too engaging. Basically, thanks, but it's not for us. I once wrote:

I recently read that until the 1830's, the typical daily newspaper was sold by subscription to a small audience whose interests were purely business and politics. "Just the facts, mam" fit neatly into four pages. Then in 1833, The New York Sun transitioned into a Penny Press and began telling "stories" with a "relevance to their reader's lives."
The Sun's first issue sold out immediately, and contained numerous "human interest" stories (a form practically invented by the Penny Press) that drew an audience of readers "starved for information about other people like themselves, distressed souls from other lands or from upstate farms - people marooned in a rapidly growing city that was often inscrutable, uncaring, or unintelligible," writes historian George H. Douglas. - Robert S. Boynton, The New New Journalism: Conversations On Craft With America's Best Nonfiction Writers on Their Craft
Not much has changed really. If anything there are more distressed souls marooned in a rapidly growing world that is often inscrutable, uncaring and unintelligible.

We're starting modestly, but I want to share the vision of the Citizen Journalism Anew One to One Microfund. You supply the passion & commitment, we supply a (micro) boost. Via all the legs of the stool - financial, social/emotional, and educational - for an immersive type of citizen journalism I call artisan journalism. I'm switching to we mode because this isn't mine, it's eventually (soon!) everyone's. Goals include:

Revive the human interest story as an art form and marry it to social media. (Or call it the new new journalism, narrative journalism, literary journalism, documentary writing, creative non-fiction, artisan journalism, what you will.) Like the rock star of online narrative journalism says, it's about "the small stories that when strung together illustrate a more complete picture." In The Ten Faces of Innovation, Tom Kelley says, "Stories persuade in a way that facts, reports and market trends seldom do, because stories make an emotional connection." Four things to know about this style of journalism:
- Literary journalism enters deeply into subjects' worlds.
- Literary journalism is concerned with the everyday.
- Literary journalism relies on voice.
- And it's journalism lived. "For me, what I have to say is validated by the fact that I was there, that I witnessed the event. There is, I admit, a certain egoism in what I write, always complaining about the heat or the hunger or the pain I feel, but it is terribly important to have what I write authenticated by its being lived." - Deborah Campbell, "Can Journalism Be Art?" (via Canadian Journalist)
Provide space to explore immersive stories. Those that may span six months or more. Even that storytelling can get short shrifted on the live Web. Provide room to delve into the complex shadows and light rather than settling for the surface black-and-white.
Provide and accelerate market opportunities for both emerging fresh voices and around-the-block pros alike (hey, editors often reject your best ideas or they don't fit your regular beat). Yes, this may include your now-buried one-time once-in-a-lifetime project. You can happily continue being a lawyer, publicist, or travel agent; long-term career aspirations aren't required.
Provide a mutually supportive network of artisans.
Provide an agency matching artisans' project themes and passions to aligned brands (includes traditional media brands too). If Yahoo can pay Kevin Sites for a one-year around-the-world backpack journalism foray and VISA sponsors the blogs of Winter Olympic athletes, I'm speculating that maybe sponsored bloggers is a trend. (And maybe collaborations.) Nope, not souled out, simply sponsoring your vision as is.
Provide a financial boost. Inspired by FINCA, Grameen, the Okinawan moai, artist's colonies, Kiva, Robert Paterson's notion of Social Software Aid and many more, we're working on an innovative & social model for matching grants (and longer-term, loans).
- Immediately to seed the microfund, everything is straight donation.
- This model could work for any type of microfund, and we'll explore how to enable others to adopt from the above organizations and this model. I've heard for instance Katrina victims have temporary needs while they wait for insurance and FEMA to roll in. A perfect use for a microfund.)
- Pssst, not familiar with Grameen?: "The Grameen Bank [gives very small loans and] is based on the voluntary formation of small groups of five people to provide mutual, morally binding group guarantees in lieu of the collateral required by conventional banks."
Provide pointers to existing education and resources and create new material as needed.
- Such as courses running the gamut from video blogging to podcasting to expressive writing to 'deep hanging out' interview techniques to grassroots fundraising and marketing.
- We're not about reinventing the wheel, but if it's truly not out there, we'll see about crafting a course. (That doesn't preclude us having artisan retreats though.)
- Each one teach one: In the spirit of giving back, we encourage financial grant/loan recipients to chip in to help newcomers.

First up. An intimate return to tsunami-struck countries of Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India by this here accidental citizen journalist (that's me) for two month period straddling the one-year anniversary.

Focusing on themes of regeneration, rebuilding, post-traumatic growth, grassroots "doing it ourselves" organizations, and whatever untold stories emerge in the two months in Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.
Unfiltered multimedia blogging (includes podcasting, videoblogging if equipment loan/donation comes through)
On-the-road coverage at this blog commences approx second week of December.
See FAQ on the Tsunami Anniversary TARA Trek.

Next up? Emerging fresh voices can come from anywhere. Next year, one possibility is a women bloggers' safari to Africa. Storytelling is older than cavemen scribbling on walls. We'll work with introducing women and kids there to new tools like digital cameras and blogs. And record their stories in their own words and images. Seeking your project proposals.

More? Check the new 'Microfund' category on my regular blog for updates. Comment here, or email. (No doubt I've left crucial info out of this post.)

Spread the word. Why not put the badge on your blog? The simple gesture of displaying the badge goes a long way to getting ordinary artists, media outlets, corporations, and others engaged.

Here's the code for your blog: <div style="text-align:center"><A HREF="http://www.wordofblog.net/redirect.php?id=372&uid=491"><IMG SRC="http://www.wordofblog.net/ad_images/372491.jpg" BORDER=0></A><BR> <FONT SIZE=1>Heard the <A HREF="http://www.WordofBlog.net/info.php?id=372">Word of Blog?</A></FONT></div>

Donations. Paypal donations (no fees accessed here) or blog tipjar at upper left (about 3% Paypal fee lopped off) or send checks to: PO Box 490, Mountain View, CA 94042.

We are not yet a 501(c)3. We are actively seeking a fiscal agent, i.e. a non-profit like Omidyar.net that can bring us under their accounting wing.
$100 donations and up get a bonus sponsorship link on this well-trafficked blog through 01/16/06. (You may opt to link to your favorite charity.)
Seeking a tax-deductible donation right now? Please consider the many Katrina relief organizations (yes! still in need), Hidaya Foundation (for Pakistan-India earthquake) or PuebloAPueblo.org (translates to village to village, for Hurricane Stan). Thanks!

Special thanks to designer Mike Rohde for graciously volunteering to create the awesome badge. Mike is also a whiz at custom Typepad and other blog templates (nope, not this amateur one; and I've had Crossroads Dispatches template since day numero uno of that blog.) Plus kudos to the helpful folks at WordofBlog.net.

flickr photo by elisa

TARA Trek: Citizen Journalism Anew

Citizen Journalism Anew One to One Microfund

Comments

About

Recent Posts

Tip Jar

Spread the Word