Al said, "My job is to help you on your next shift." He asked what are the things that make a great story? Out of audience participation, an active discussion followed with participants offering ideas.

CONFLICT - Al quoted author William Faulkner, "The basic conflicts of life are the only things worth writing about".

SURPRISE - Al urged news writers to "sprinkle gold coins" through each story to hold the attentionof the viewer.

RELEVANCE - Is the information really useful.

PERSPECTIVE - Put the viewer in a new place to see something he or she has never seen before.

NATURAL SOUND - Put the viewer's ear where his or her eye is.

BALANCE - We mean fair, Al said.

CHARACTER - Telling details about people.

ACTION - Don't fail to give your viewer reaction to action. Every third shot on Monday Night Football is a reaction shot.

Al screened a variety of news stories which the audience discussed at length. Was this a great story? If not, why not? He drew out comments from people and pressed them until they reached a thoughtful opinion.

He passed out flyers crammed with ideas that encouraged discussion. "Live and Lively - Not Live, Local and Lame", "Hook 'em with the Lead", "Write Great Teases" and "Clearer, Stronger Writing.";

He projected web sites from his computer that can be useful to journalists and gave away a CD called "Places You Should Go on the Web."

It was a long, valuable day that overflowed with useful information. The one-day storytelling bootcamp was worth every minute!