Help Please! How should I handle this story?

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James Marinero

James Marinero

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Feb 25, 2015
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At anchor, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
I've recently been talking to an old soldier who saw some shameful happenings in the British Army over 50 years ago. Sorry, I cannot disclose any more than that.

I believe that it has news potential. I have no reason to doubt the facts as they have been related to me, but I would obviously need to verify them as far as possible before taking the news route.

The alternative is to turn them into a short story (if I had the time and appetite there is probably a short book in there, but I have neither right now).

I'd appreciate the advice of members on this. I need to get things moving as the old soldier is not in the best of health, but his mind and memory are still very sharp.

Thanks
 
Research/record now, verify, augment, write, edit and publish/broadcast at leisure; assuming the story is not time critical.
 
Katie has the right answer of-course, and the more you can record the better. Later you can decide what to do with it, when hopefully you are in a better position to deal with it.
 
Katie-Ellen Hazeldine said:
Research/record now, verify, augment, write, edit and publish/broadcast at leisure; assuming the story is not time critical.
Click to expand...

No, it's not time critical (except that I'm aging too)! I've already interviewed him once. I sat down yesterday and drafted 2,000 words which has shown up a few areas that I need to flesh out with him.

Thanks all.
 
I agree with the others. Unless you have some official standing where you could cause an investigation to ensue, your only alternative is to publish an account of the event.
 
If you’re going to use it as a hook (sorry for the crude marketing speak) for possible future coverage, e.g. to support a book / novel / whatever, you’re definitely going to have to document this.
 
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