--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I needed a story. Something local, but…" description: "\"“I needed a story. Something local, but juicy. And more than just newsworthy. I was holding out for gasp-worthy. And I found it. Or rather, it found me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/elyse-friedman-101740_death_i-needed-a-story-something-local-but-jui_315456.jpg" --- # I needed a story. Something local, but juicy. And more… ![“I needed a story. Something local, but juicy. And more than just newsworthy. I was holding out for gasp-worthy. And I found it. Or rather, it found me. Yup, your humble J-school grad was pretty much handed a tale that had it all: sex and drugs (not the regular kinds), multiple deaths (untimely…” quote by Elyse Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/elyse-friedman-101740_death_i-needed-a-story-something-local-but-jui_315456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/elyse-friedman-101740_death_i-needed-a-story-something-local-but-jui_315456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/elyse-friedman-101740_death_i-needed-a-story-something-local-but-jui_315456.jpg) > ““I needed a story. Something local, but juicy. And more than just newsworthy. I was holding out for gasp-worthy. And I found it. Or rather, it found me. Yup, your humble J-school grad was pretty much handed a tale that had it all: sex and drugs (not the regular kinds), multiple deaths (untimely, natch), rich folks and rituals and loads o' lawsuits- even a celebrity cherry on top. My newbie journo peers might be settling for three inches of coyotes in the subway, some spry centenarian's weightlifting regime or a bucket of campylobacter in the church supper salad, but I was planning to debut large and with oomph. The story was mine. I just had to figure out how to tell it.”” Elyse Friedman ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A compelling story requires sensational elements and personal drive. **In simple terms:** Story needs edge. Key Takeaway Pursue bold narratives. Themes journalism storytelling sensationalism creativity ambition Mood energetic analytical Type Death:0 Story:1 Storytelling:1 Story Just:0 Story Local:0 Needed Story:0 Local Juicy:0 When to use this quote - newsrooms - creative writing - investigative reporting Key Concepts media ethics narrative construction audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - What makes a story compelling? - How to balance hype and integrity? A Different Perspective Sensationalism can sacrifice truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [A story is a kind of biopsy of human life. A story is both local, specific, small, and deep, in a kind of penetrating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/a-story-is-a-kind-of-biopsy-of-human-life-a-story-is-both-local/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [The further you go, what, I'm gonna wait til I'm 80? Naw, I'm tellin' my story now. I was just moved. I was moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/the-further-you-go-what-i-m-gonna-wait-til-i-m-80-naw-i-m-tellin-my/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“If you don't turn your life into a story, you just become a part of someone else's story." "And what if your story doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/if-you-don-t-turn-your-life-into-a-story-you-just-become-a-part-of/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [My story is just my story, and it's not nearly as traumatic as some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/my-story-is-just-my-story-and-it-s-not-nearly-as-traumatic-as-some/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [“Life is a story just waiting to be told.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-jane-hills-orford/life-is-a-story-just-waiting-to-be-told/) Emily-Jane Hills Orford > [“We are part of someone’s story, not just the main character in our own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-hairston/we-are-part-of-someone-s-story-not-just-the-main-character-in-our-own/) [Zara Hairston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-hairston/) > [“She's the main character in her story, just like I'm the main character in mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/she-s-the-main-character-in-her-story-just-like-i-m-the-main/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“We all have a Happily Ever After, each story just needs to pick the right time to claim it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-torre/we-all-have-a-happily-ever-after-each-story-just-needs-to-pick-the/) [Alessandra Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-torre/) > [Just remember there is always two sides of a story, just because someone tells you one thing doesn't make it always the true version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/just-remember-there-is-always-two-sides-of-a-story-just-because/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [It's not your story. It's God's story. You're just a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/it-s-not-your-story-it-s-god-s-story-you-re-just-a-character/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [When you write a story, it just flows and you don't control it. It's subconscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imtiaz-ali/when-you-write-a-story-it-just-flows-and-you-don-t-control-it-it-s/) [Imtiaz Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imtiaz-ali/) > [“The characters write the story … I just get to be the first one to read it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bradley/the-characters-write-the-story-i-just-get-to-be-the-first-one-to-read/) Sam Bradley > [Sometimes you have dreams about the day or something like that. But, for the story, it's just present and what you have left ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-atwood/sometimes-you-have-dreams-about-the-day-or-something-like-that-but/) [Colleen Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-atwood/) > [“Don’t let me ever think, dear God, that I was anything but the instrument for Your story-just like the typewriter was mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/don-t-let-me-ever-think-dear-god-that-i-was-anything-but-the/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Belong to me, Story. Even if it’s just for a little while.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-bailey/belong-to-me-story-even-if-it-s-just-for-a-little-while/) [Tessa Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-bailey/) ## More by Elyse Friedman > [“The Poodle The poodle -- nature’s most perfect food -- was invented by Otto Van Plotsberg in 1872. According to Van Plotsberg he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-friedman/the-poodle-the-poodle-nature-s-most-perfect-food-was-invented-by-otto/) Elyse Friedman Explore all 2 Elyse Friedman quotes ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I needed a story. Something local, but juicy. And more than just newsworthy. I was holding out for gasp-worthy. And I found it. Or rather, it found me. 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