09/12/07 Chapter 3: Surprise! Surprise!

In chapter 3, Murray explores the delight of surprise within the world of writing. He explains that too many of today's journalists see what they expect to see even if it isn't there. In the same respect, they do not see what they do not expect to find, even if it is there.A writer should look for what isn't there; as much as what is, they should hear the unsaid as well as the said...they should imagine what could be. "The best writers delight in the unexpected" quotes Murray. I think this a fabulous quote to remember. While putting myself in the audience's shoes, I discovered that this exploration is proven to be true. When I read an article or story, I don't enjoy or even finish the ones that read like all the others. I want the surprise, both in technique and content. I enjoy reading the articles that were written with thought. It's important to avoid the cliché’s of vision when writing stories. Some stereotypes or cliché’s of vision are: the victim is always innocent, corporation execs are workaholics, politicians are crooks, and it's exciting in the city. Good reporting would be to step outside the borders of these cliché’s and explore what might be instead of assuming that the cliché’s are true. For example, Murray uses the example of hard-edged reporter discovering that the cliché' "he never did anything like that before" killer had actually been showing the warning signs of a killer for years. Starting at the age of 3, he was seen grilling pigeons, he played the Nazi torturer instead of doctor, and neighbors were forced to call the police on several occasions after hearing him beat his mother. A story like this, with the "surprise" factor revealing that the killer wasn't an innocent young man who had never done anything like this before, creates an interesting, exciting story that will lure people in. It also provides a great lead to other stories such as, early help for disturbed kids is crucial, or there are danger signals that neighbors and teachers should pay attention to.All in all, Murray makes a great point which is to look for the surprise in every story. A story with surprise is much more successful than one that is based on cliché’s.