Aside from the permanent problems that electro-shock didn't seem to clear up (and you think I'm joking, that's what's so cute). I need help with a particular facet of my writing as it pertains to my journalistic endeavors. I do a lot of interviews and I run into the same problem: quotes! Damn these people talking all over my article, but I guess that's to be expected when you interview someone. Anyway, it usually isn't an issue because I developed a little method that seems to work. I write and lead in and a lead out and then stick a Q & A format smack dead in the middle. The problem arises when I have more than one article in the paper. This week I have three and all of them are interviews, so I had to change up at least one of them so it didn't appear to be the same old format.
What is my problem with quotes? When I write the words, "In a recent phone interview, Charlie Manson had this to say!" all I hear is a horrible television newscaster reading it. It sounds fake and really inorganic. How many times in an article can you say "he said" without sounding a bit redundant. I've tried picking random synonyms to change things up…he stated, he blurted, he screamed like a girl…nothing seems to make it all better. If someone is fluent in quote-ese, drop me a line, call me a moron and tell me how to get around it.