Sharing Your Story
Sharing your story brings it to life. On whichever medium you have chosen to share it, you are offering an opportunity for your audience to identify with, learn from, and be inspired by your craft. Storytelling allows one to share meaningful messages that connect with society, often, on a global scale. The same story can take shape in many forms. You can write a book, post a blog, or distribute audio or video recordings, all while using low-cost or free community resources such as the tools offered at your local library.
With so many paths to follow in the pursuit of publishing, The New York Public Library’s collection of writers’ reference, educational tutorials, and technology tools can help you navigate all of the ways to present your story to the world as a Media Smart Citizen for you to #ExpressYourPower.
"Sharing Your Story" is the final episode of “Express Your Power”, a four-part nationally-recognized media and information literacy learning video series produced by Media Smart Citizens in partnership with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) of The New York Public Library.
Books
Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process by ISBN: 9780374142742Publication Date: 2017-09-05Draft No. 4 is a master class on the writer's craft. In a series of playful, expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he has gathered over his career and has refined while teaching at Princeton University, where he has nurtured some of the most esteemed writers of recent decades. McPhee offers definitive guidance in the decisions regarding arrangement, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces.
Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction by ISBN: 9780393065619Publication Date: 2008-03-17A succinct but rich compendium of ideas, terms, and techniques, Keep It Real clarifies the ins and outs of writing creative nonfiction. Starting with acknowledgment of sources, running through fact-checking, metaphor, and navel-gazing, and ending with writers' responsibilities to their subjects, this book provides all the information you need to write with verve while remaining true to your story.
The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by ISBN: 9780374528584Publication Date: 2002-10-11A guide to the art of personal writing, by the author of Fierce Attachments and End of the Novel of Love. Taking us on a reading tour of some of the best memoirs and essays of the past hundred years, Gornick traces the changing idea of self that has dominated the century and demonstrates the enduring truth-speaker to be found in the work of writers as diverse as Edmund Gosse, Joan Didion, Oscar Wilde, James Baldwin, or Marguerite Duras.
Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by ISBN: 9780226318141Publication Date: 2011-07-15From the work of the New Journalists in the 1960s to the New Yorker essays of John McPhee and a host of others, to blockbuster book-length narratives such as Erik Larson's Devil in the White City, narrative nonfiction has come into its own. Yet writers looking for guidance on reporting and writing true stories have had few places to turn for advice. Now in Storycraft, Jack Hart, a former managing editor of the Oregonian who guided several Pulitzer Prize-winning narratives to publication, delivers what will certainly become the definitive guide to the methods and mechanics of crafting narrative nonfiction.
The Associated Press Guide to News Writing by ISBN: 9780768943733Publication Date: 2019-11-12The Associated Press Guide to News Writing is the standard professional resource for both novice and experienced news writers. This practical handbook is the ideal writing style guide for all reporters, writers, editors, and English and journalism students.
The Byline Bible: Get Published in Five Weeks by ISBN: 9781440353680Publication Date: 2018-08-21Newspaper, magazine, and web editors are desperate for new voices and anyone, in any field, can break-in. So why not you? Over the last two decades, writing professor Susan Shapiro has taught more than 25,000 students of all ages and backgrounds at NYU, Columbia, Temple, The New School, and Harvard University. Now in The Byline Bible, she reveals the wildly popular "Instant Gratification Takes Too Long" technique she's perfected, sharing how to land impressive clips to start or re-launch your career.
The Complete Guide to Article Writing by ISBN: 9781599637341Publication Date: 2014-01-14Master the art of article writing! The world of journalism is changing rapidly, and the modern journalist needs more than a basic knowledge of article writing to navigate it. The Complete Guide to Article Writing provides a compass for freelancers and students of journalism looking to write successfully on a wide variety of topics and for many different markets--both in print and online.
Writer's Market 100th Edition by ISBN: 9780593332030Publication Date: 2021-11-09The most trusted guide to getting published, fully revised, and updated. Want to get published and paid for your writing? Let Writer's Market, 100th edition guide you through the process.
Documentary Storytelling: Creative Nonfiction on Screen by ISBN: 9780240812410Publication Date: 2010-08-31Documentary Storytelling has reached filmmakers and filmgoers worldwide with its unique focus on the single most important aspect of documentary media-making: storytelling. Drawing on the narrative tools of the creative writer, the unique strengths of a visual and aural media, and the power of real-world content truthfully presented, Documentary Storytelling offers advice for producers, directors, editors, and cinematographers seeking to make ethical and effective nonfiction films, and for those who use these films to educate, inform, and inspire.
NPR's Podcast Start Up Guide: Create, Launch, and Grow a Podcast on Any Budget by ISBN: 9780593139080Publication Date: 2021-06-29From NPR comes the definitive guide to podcasting-featuring step-by-step advice on how to find a unique topic, tell the best stories, and engage the most listeners, as well as the secrets that will take your pod to the next level.
Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production by ISBN: 9780226431789Publication Date: 2008-07-01Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production will give you a rare tour of the world of a professional broadcaster. Jonathan Kern, who has trained NPR's on-air staff for years, is a gifted guide, able to narrate a day in the life of a host and lay out the nuts and bolts of production with equal wit and warmth. Along the way, he explains the importance of writing the way you speak, reveals how NPR books guests ranging from world leaders to neighborhood newsmakers, and gives sage advice on everything from proposing stories to editors to maintaining balance and objectivity.
Video Journalism for the Web by ISBN: 9780415892667Publication Date: 2012-09-17Creating multimedia video journalism requires more than simply adapting traditional broadcast techniques: it calls for a new way of thinking about how people engage with the news and withnbsp;emerging media technologies. In this guide, Kurt Lancaster teaches students and professional journalists how to shoot better video and tell better stories on the web, providing a strong understanding of cinematic storytelling and documentary production so their videos will stand out from the crowd.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an online educational site that features thousands of courses and video tutorials where you can discover, complete, and track courses related to your field and interests. It is free to access from anywhere using your NYPL library card. Here are some of the online classes offered:
Writing with Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer
Have you ever pored over a beautifully written article and wished you could write with the same kind of flair? If so, this course is for you. Join Shani Raja—a former editor for the Wall Street Journal—as he shares practical techniques for making your writing sparkle. Shani dives into the mindset of an elite writer, spelling out the key principles that help great wordsmiths keep their writing purposeful, concise, and pleasurable to read.
Writing a Compelling Blog Post
Publishing your thoughts and ideas is easier than ever. The internet has given everyone a platform. But without engaging content and precise writing, you might not attract an audience. Discover content, structure, and style strategies that will make your blog posts irresistible and keep readers coming back for more. Award-winning journalist and writing coach Starshine Roshell shows you how to turn your expertise into concise, passionate, insightful posts that will make people want to follow you.
Video Journalism: Storytelling Techniques
How you choose your shots, craft your story, and edit your footage is what draws attention to your videos. The ultimate goal is to use video to tell a good story. In this course, digital media producer and former TV news reporter Jeff Sengstack uses real-world examples to show you how to create compelling stories using video.
Script Writing for Nonfiction Video
Content creators are producing more reality-based videos than ever before. Nonfiction videos can promote advocacy, fundraising, training, and even "edutainment." But producing any video without a solid script is a challenge. Even corporate or documentary films. By learning effective script writing and script-to-screen process, producers can lower their overhead costs and improve storytelling impact and audience engagement.
Producing Podcasts
Want to share your message with the world? Start a podcast. Podcasts are more popular than ever, which makes podcasting a great way to capture an audience of engaged listeners. With today's inexpensive recording equipment and editing software, it's possible to self-produce a podcast from anywhere. This course is designed to take you step by step through the entire process, from planning your format and buying the right equipment to recording your podcast and uploading episodes for distribution.
TechConnect
The New York Public Library's TechConnect program helps people of all ages develop confidence in their computer skills and grow more comfortable in today's digital world.
TechConnect offers more than 80 technology classes at libraries throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island—all absolutely free! From learning the basics of how to use a computer to mastering essential computer business programs, there is a class for all students from beginner to advanced, including series classes for those who want more in-depth knowledge and classes on media production (video, podcasts, etc.).
TechConnect classes are offered online and onsite. Please visit the TechConnect website for more information and the upcoming class schedule. Inside the Pasculano Learning Center of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL), patrons can visit their Studio 40 media lab and attend in-person training on media production.
On October 30, 2020, TechConnect presented a panel talk with special guests from Pineapple Street Media’s celebrated podcast Back Issue to talk about everything podcasting: launching their new show, tech tips & tricks, industry secrets, an exclusive tour of the quarantine studios, and more.
Investigative Documentaries: Uncovering the Truth
With the support of interviews, archival documents, and an inquisitive mind, documentaries have the power to take a deeper dive into a controversial issue and expose concealed information. In part of Media Literacy Week in 2021, documentary filmmakers shared their craft and process in this panel discussion, and how they take a unique approach to storytelling to create more awareness around an issue for their audience.
In partnership with Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library and Center for Communication, presented on October 28, 2021.
To learn more, visit the event page on the Center for Communication website.
Tech Kits
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Tech Kits for Performing Artists program is a resource to enable performing artists to document their works and publish them online. This kit contains a number of items that are commonly used to document and post performance work online. Though designed for performing artists, a patron looking to create their own media can utilize the Tech Kits as well.
Tech Kits include the following:
- 12.9” iPad Pro with cellular data
- Logitech Slim Folio Pro case with integrated keyboard
- Logitech B100 Corded Mouse
- AKG Lyra USB microphone
- Behringer HC 2000B Wireless Headphones with Bluetooth
- Xcellon usb c - 4-port usb 3.1 hub
- GVM LED Ring Light with Phone Tripod Stand Kit
- Connection cables and chargers
- M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 MK3 MIDI keyboard (available with select kits)
Anyone over the age of 18 with a New York Public Library card can reserve a Tech Kit. Don't have a card? Sign up for one here. To reserve a Tech Kit, search the catalog for "Tech Kit" and request the item as you would any other circulating materials from the Library. Tech Kits are available for between one and three months. For more information, please email techkits@nypl.org.