We particularly like the first several sections of this piece. Earls provides an effective sequential experience for her readers: first a cliffhanger beginning, then an efficient summary of the topic, then an authoritative composite of her main character, Katherine. We readers feel we're in good hands.
Yet we found the fact that Earls does not resolve the cliffhanger—she alludes to, but does not explicitly state that Katherine died—a bit troublesome. At first it's effective, but eventually—and this is a lengthy two-part series—we felt as if we were holding our breath. We knew the outcome, but we wanted the writer to more authoritatively guide us.
Perhaps the piece's greatest strength is its attention to character and the depth this character development lends to the coverage of teen diabetes. The narrative ran in the paper's features section.
Read “For Dear Life,” by Stephanie Earls
Yet we found the fact that Earls does not resolve the cliffhanger—she alludes to, but does not explicitly state that Katherine died—a bit troublesome. At first it's effective, but eventually—and this is a lengthy two-part series—we felt as if we were holding our breath. We knew the outcome, but we wanted the writer to more authoritatively guide us.
Perhaps the piece's greatest strength is its attention to character and the depth this character development lends to the coverage of teen diabetes. The narrative ran in the paper's features section.
Read “For Dear Life,” by Stephanie Earls
