The two pieces that I plan on building up and adding to my portfolio will be the profile, and feature article.
I guess the main reason is that I found these two pieces to be the most interesting, and fun to work on. The SNB was still enjoyable, but these last two projects were the ones that really stick out for me. I enjoyed the interview process and also the research that went along with both projects.
Even though I knew what what my topics would be, I feel that I walked away being more educated on the topic. As the writer, I wanted to inform my audience about the subject at hand, but ended up teaching myself along the way. That was a pretty cool feeling in itself.
For the portfolio, I plan on going back over each piece and really weeding out things that need to be deleted or just 'tweeked'. I think it will help since there has been a time lag between the last time I have sat down and read them. Now when I sit down to work on them, I can find things that might not even make sense to me, even though I wrote them.
Profile piece: mainly tweaking a few things per feedback suggestions, adding more technical detail where needed on the actual science being done. Also want to make sure it educates not confuses the audience. I just don't want to leave any details out (or in) that could be left open for incorrect interpretation.
Feature piece: adjusting things per feedback suggestions, adjusting layout so it looks more like a magazine ad (I have double spacing right now, mainly so it would be easier for me to read the comments, will drop it down to 1.something, so it looks more magazine style). The last thing I want to double check (just like my profile piece) is make sure I haven't left any thing open for incorrect interpretation. I want the reader to walk away just understanding the video game morality issue, not feeling like I am leaving tons of unanswered questions.
I am hoping that since there has been time away from these projects, when I sit down to revise them for the final portfolio, it helps me see any, "What the hell was I meaning by that statement?"
I agree with the whole time away concept. I need decent space away from a piece for any real good revision. I tend to develop some weird emotional connections with a piece as I am working on it and when my writer brain says it is done, it is done (for now). When I leave it alone and "forget" about it, and later return to it, it becomes fresh again . And the preconceptions I developed when originally contemplating the piece are gone(ish). So, it's like starting a new piece, but most of the work is done.
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