"Through a person's story we showcase the entire era" – reporter Vira Kuryko gives a training class for journalists

Reporters magazine journalist, editor Vira Kuryko during a training class at the IMI hub Mediabaza Chernihiv. Photo by Mediabaza Chernihiv

Reportage is a genre that exists at the intersection of journalism and literature; it is characterized as telling a true story with the help of the entire literary palette, said Vira Kuryko, journalist and editor of the Reporters magazine, at a training class "Storytelling in the media: Reportage and timeless stories" at the IMI's regional hub Mediabaza Chernihiv.

"Often we first come up with a topic, then go looking for a protagonist. But it works the other way around, too. I believe that you can describe an entire era by telling any person's story. Storytelling is not about saying 'the man lit a cigarette', but about saying 'the man slowly took out a crumpled Rothmans pack from his pocket and hastelessly pulled out a cigarette.' Good storytelling allows you to tell a story that one can't forget, can't look away from," remarked Vira Kuryko.

The reporter says that she and the other editors of her magazine look for people to feature in their reports by browsing other media, meeting a lot of people, look for them among acquaintances and getting recommendations from colleagues or friends.

Sometimes the team also brainstorms to imagine the protagonist, who could they be, and then the journalists talk to different people and choose the one who will become the story's focus. According to Vira Kuryko, preparing the storytelling may take from three hours to a year.

Reporters magazine journalist, editor Vira Kuryko during a training class at the IMI hub Mediabaza Chernihiv. Photo by Mediabaza Chernihiv

"I found Vira Kuryko's training to be helpful, because I sometimes turn to a similar style of writing in my articles. At least in part. So I need to work on my storytelling skills," says freelancer Dmytro Pavlenko.

Vira Kuryko concluded by stressing that the most important thing in storytelling and reportage is the opening sentence, which should hook the reader and compel them to read the story to the end.

For reference

Vira Kuryko (Kuryko-Ahienko) is a Chernihiv-based reporter, the author of the documentary books "Complicit Street. Lukyanenko's Chernihiv case", "Mazepa. The Right to a Saber", "Healthy Person's Reform". She writes for the Ukrainian media outlets such as "Reporters", "Local History", multiple other Ukrainian and foreign outlets.

The event was hosted by the hub Mediabaza.Chernihiv with the support of the US Embassy as part of the project "Supporting the work of local media in the Chernihiv oblast".