As a video journalist I had the rare opportunity to walk in the shoes of a radio reporter. It happened here at Detroit’s WDET-FM. That’s where NPRs pros held an audio storytelling workshop. My five journalism colleagues and I got great tips, played with gear and then went out the door with an assignment in hand. After a 7-hour day, we each had a nearly complete radio story ready to hit the airwaves.

The experience changed me. I am knee deep in love with radio and itching to do it again and again and again. Here’s why:

•  Ambiance: Capture the natural sounds of a story. It takes listeners to familiar and unfamiliar places:

The sound of a waterfall, the beat of a drum, the hubbub in a café, the chant of angry protestors.

• Compelling characters: Identify interesting people who convey passion, emotion, light up a room and strike a chord deep inside you:

There’s very little food to go around in drought-striken Somalia. So a feeble mother tells you she must decide the fate of her children. Who will live or die?

• Narration: Just add color. Work your magic as a writer. Use details to paint a picture. Describe smells, tastes, sights, feelings:

The raisin-speckled cookie with a golden hue is baking to perfection.

• Brevity: Be short, to the point and dedicate each thought to one sentence. People generally lose interest quickly with long-winded writing. After all in this multitasking world you are fighting for a piece of their attention:

The recession continues to pack a powerful punch in many parts of the world.

• Tools: Use a good quality audio recorder that captures clean, crisp sound. Many journalists are on a tight budget. So for now use what you have. But if you heart is set on pursuing radio reporting as a profession, you owe it to yourself and your listeners to invest in the best tool. Don’t compromise on quality. You’ll hear it.

Finally, I am not done. I am just getting started. More golden nuggets of radio reporting are bopping around in my brain at past 2 a.m. this morning. But its time to power down and hit the sack.

I’ll share more radio reporting tips in a future blog in the days ahead.

— Furhana Afrid