Standing apart from the crowd: how the 2006 Minority Writers Seminar helped an opinionated person fine-tune her writing style.

Having an opinion has always been frowned upon. A person who voices a view on particularly hot topics such as politics or religion better agree with the status quo or face inquisition, obscurity, or possible execution.

I could never do that. First, I have an aversion to going along with the crowd. Second, agreeing for the sake of agreement just goes against my grain--the wash doesn't come clean without agitation. Third, I firmly believe in weighing all sides, validating sources, and substantiating positions.

That's why I became a journalist. Not because of the thrill of deadline, joy of byline, or the excitement of getting a scoop ... but of the opportunity to dig deep into issues, explore varied viewpoints, and uncover the heart of situations. Basically, I am good at arguing.

Needless to say, that was not a comfortable position in which to have been placed. I often stood alone in my views and turned friends into adversaries. Until I attended the NCEW Minority Writers Seminar at Vanderbilt University.

It was amazing to be in the company of critical thinkers--deeply opinionated, argumentative souls like myself. While listening to seasoned professionals such as Ricardo Pimental (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and Erica Bryant (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in New York) talk about the world of editorials, I kept thinking of the remainder of the phrase, Opinions ... Everyone's got one: They are like rear ends, pointing straight to the ground!

As this phrase exemplifies, opinions don't matter to most people; they go nowhere, and they cause strife. So why voice them?

The NCEW Minority Writers Seminar gave twenty-nine journalists a different definition. After we were instructed on various types, styles, and forms of editorial writing, we were placed on mock editorial boards led by editorial professionals. The first topic, "Banning protests at military funerals," along with research data to read and consider, was given to us one week before the seminar.

My group, facilitated by Doug Lyons, editorial writer at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, argued that protests should be allowed in accordance with the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly.

Of course, I had an opposing position, questioning how much these First Amendment rights overshadow the victim's right to privacy. My opinion was floored, and we were asked to write an editorial against the ban.

The following day, we received our critiques and were given another assignment. We chose the controversy surrounding the Spanish Star-Spangled Banner. This editorial proved the most challenging because there was a plethora of opinion already written on the topic.

The highlight of the seminar was the closing speaker, Jarvis DeBerry of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans. DeBerry captured the essence of editorial writing in his recount of covering Hurricane Katrina. He proved that emotion and sensitivity plays a major role in opinion writing.

The seminar coordinators, Vanessa Gallman and Joan Armour, provided a well-organized, accommodating learning environment. They both provided us with appropriate tools and resources to make the seminar a success.

When the seminar began, I was nervous, because I had the least amount of journalism and daily news writing experience of all the participants.

By its completion, I had been assured that I could hold my own. Lyons showed me my strong points and led me to improving my weak ones.

The speakers were knowledgeable and supportive. Overall, the seminar provided timely, constructive, and practical information.

The short time spent exploring editorial writing will not land me a position on an editorial board any time soon. However, I have widened my journalism skills, pursued new writing avenues, and sharpened my awareness of opportunities in the field. I have a long way to go (I've only been writing for four years), but I have learned that opinions don't necessarily point downward ... they can also abound into a rewarding career, lifting me upward to the sky!

2007 seminar is May 3-6

The 12th annual Minority Writers Seminar will be held May 3-6, 2007, in Nashville at the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute at Vanderbilt University.

The seminar gives experienced minority journalists an opportunity to explore opinion writing and encourage them to make a career move. Minority journalists who have been writing opinion less than two years also may apply. Enrollment is limited to 20.

Lodging and food are covered, and participants will be reimbursed up to $200 for transportation.

Experienced editorialists work closely with participants, who attend simulated editorial board meetings and write editorials that are critiqued. The seminar also includes workshops on the craft of persuasive writing and keynote addresses by nationally known speakers.

Doug Lyons, editorial writer at Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale and a 1997 graduate of the Seminar, has been named director of the 2007 Seminar.

The seminar is sponsored by the NCEW Foundation in partnership with the Diversity Institute and supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation.

An application can be found at www.ncew.org

Jacqualine S. Williams is a freelance print and broadcast journalist in West Allis, Wisconsin. She attended the 2006 Minority Writers Seminar sponsored by NCEW in Nashville. E-mail bamm1146@ netscape.net