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Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

LESSON 32

SOURCES OF MATERIAL OF COLUMNS

Sources of material for columns depend on their types. For instance, if one wants to write a serious

column, for background one has to look for book, magazines and newspapers, as usually such a matter is

available. However, for an impressionistic, the columnist will use his creative powers.

However, various factors must be kept in mind as per types.

There are many sources of columns' materials. However the source of material usually is consistent with

the nature and the structure of the column to be handled. In case the column relates to a simple matter, the

sources shall be correspondingly easy to be handled or otherwise a complex one.

Sources of material for the specialised columns, as on health, stamps, books etc. are fairly easy and

readily available. The specialist writer of the columns may be a doctor, a scientist, a sportsman, physician,

a religious scholar, a scholar, for literary column etc. They disseminate their ideas and views with special

reference to the modern research and various other references to refresh the readers with the learning in

their specialized columns.

Constant factors

Personal qualities of observance, reading and listening are a must for a columnist. History, books,

periodicals, newspapers, television, reference sections and talk of the town develop the thought and

perspective of the writer. Besides these, he uses memory, incidents and personal experiences to enrich his

columns.

For opinionated or reflective columns, a columnist relies upon his thought and idea. However, he nurtures

the idea in mind, while taking hints, and writing points simultaneously.

Four important factors

Observations, and experience, reading, interviewing others (for seeking information) and reporting act as

four important factors for any columnist.

Many people are seeing a lot of things, but they do not concentrate on them. A columnist creates a

difference, which is equivalent to the pictures of the same scene taken with a quality camera and

otherwise. Hence a columnist is looking at things, which are generally ignored or not noticed by people.

In the same vein, his experience is different from that of the ordinary. Then he describes that in a different

way to that of the ordinary people.

Column types and sources of material

1. Reporting-in-Depth Columns

Background, perspective, and interpretation are given to various happenings. However, current news

events are related to the past and also to the future.

Writers own relationship with people, who are the decision-makers and those who are directly involved

brings a lot of material for the columnist. Besides this he has to read constantly, while never leaving the

track of things.

2. "I Think" or Opinionated Columns

Either because of extensive training, long time observations, columnists act as experts, and then expound

their opinions for the general public.

In the reflective-type or opinionated of columns it is not so difficult to gather the material. The reflective

columns may relate to an event, a change or any other aspect of life. He can gather the materials

intuitively and by employing the imaginative capabilities. The real task implies how to best transform his

reflections into an appealing composition. In sports world it can be materialised by rehashing the past

events and performance by the sportsmen and in the political column, it can be accomplished by making

an evaluation of the great figures of the past and the present times. In short reflective columns consist of

appraisals.

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3. Gossip Columns

A columnist learns to break a juicy bit of gossip, while talking and listen to others, besides uncovering a

scandal. No daily newspaper cares for a gossip column, and its natural habit is the film magazine, which

flourishes on gossip, some malicious, some harmless but unquestionably titillating.

Its sources are obviously through constant interaction with people, newspapers and magazines.

4. Humorous Columns

In this column, humorous aspects in life and satire are written besides drawing contradictions, historical

references and comparisons. Many papers still fight shy of having regular daily humorous column.

However these columns are much liked, which contain some satirical comments.

Their sources of materials are really difficult to look after and gather. It is all the more difficult because

genuinely humorous material is hard to find or to invent. It has been rightly said that a few persons can

continue their humorous columns consistently and persistently and a few survive.

In a sense all these, in essence, are opinion pieces, as are editorials, theatre, film, art and music criticisms.

It is not every reporter who can aspire to be a humorous columnist, an art critic or a sports commentator.

From each a certain amount of expertise is called for, the critic, in the right place, must have credibility.

In other words, he must have a wider knowledge of life and letters. The narrow specialist may have

credibility, but it is the specialist generalist who will have the audience. To review any piece of creative

work, the reviewer must not only be aware of the artist's own past work, but must be able to judge it in

the context of other works of the same genre either of his contemporaries or his predecessors or

preferably both.

5. Essay Columns

Books, other writers, nostalgia and mood, requires perceptiveness or possibly just and overpowering

interest in people

This type of column is rare today. As an essay, it has style. Its range is unlimited but it must stick to one

rigid rule-it must never be deductive or dull.

Another type of column is usually stated to contain the philosophic material which otherwise is difficult

to find in an easy way. In the philosophic columns, different aspect of life styles may be studied,

examined and criticised or even satirised. Moreover a columnist usually probes into the complexities of

life in the light of the prevalent concepts and circumstances. The requirement and demand of this column

is its original approach without which these columns shall lose their interest. Originality should be so

projected in a manner so that the readers should not make any complaint against these columns. In other

words, the readers should meet with original ideas so that the ideas implied in these columns should not

be traceable directly to other source. However this is a most difficult type of column and very few

columnists gain real sources and popularity.

6. Personality Diary Columns

This kind of columns come from public figures, which are mostly well-known, and occasionally less

known but compared with others.

Another source of material for the columns consists of anecdotes, titbits, gossip and patter. Apparently

their sources of materials are difficult to find and gather, but an experienced columnist can manage by

digging hard for the material. For light columns like these, there has been always a keen competition and

much hard work is being put individually and by a panel. There have been the syndicated columnists who

manage these materials to utilise in their columns. They usually own special staffs of reporters who do

leg-work for them. Besides these conventional sources of material, a columnist also is assisted by friends

who provide tips, by publicity agents and by tipsters who supply materials for their columns against some

payment.

7. How- to-do or Advice Columns

This column is by a specialist, who knows his subject. It is about educating the reader through both

personal experiences, and bookish knowledge. It is meant for readers, who are seeking experts' opinion.

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8. Sports Columns

It is by experts of their respective fields, whereas in Pakistan, cricket is more popular. However, we find

less number of columnists in comparison to other areas. There was a time when some leading newspapers

had their daily sports columns, but this is getting to be rarer these days.

Sources for material remain newspapers, magazines, current issues and people around.

9. Question and Answer Columns

Readers usually send questions, and divergent subjects are covered. `Confidante' is one such example.

This column comes in various colours. It could be a medical column in which a qualified doctor answers

queries on health. It could be a sober column in which readers ask questions about their personal

problems and get appropriate answers depending on whether the questions are plain, plain silly or serious.

Under this style of column-writing, a columnist gives a question and then answers it. By this style, a

columnist makes the columns easy to understand and intelligible even to the general readers. This style of

writing a column gives ample opportunities to the columnist to raise questions of national and paramount

importance and then answers them in easy and understandable style and language. In this way, a good

columnist paves the way for instruction, teaching and improving educational values and standard of the

general masses in an effective way.

In the past, a columnist was usually the editor himself and the columnist of the present age is the

representative of the past traditions. In the column-writing, a columnist addresses directly to the readers

and accomplishes the most desired effects, by attracting the attention of the readers.

Questions are given to the columnist, who answers by using his expertise.

10. Political columns

These are the most popular ones, and are fetching huge readership, who are responding to it better, which

primarily due to the fluid political situation of the country.

A good political columnist employs originality for readers in his approach, in striking a new note, new

material, using a generally unique style of language and design, ability to invent and coin new words and

an unusual twist of thought. In order to maintain the interest, and attraction of the readers, a columnist

should adopt an air of originality rather then report any imitation of the standard columnists.

To him, history books, newspapers, personalities and people around them are acting as good sources of

material.

Interview

A young columnist Amal Shakeb shared her experiences

Her views about the column writing

How the writers are picking up subjects?

Choice of material and subjects

How far columnist is a reader-oriented?

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