For many high school journalists, the issue of attracting readership can be a complicated problem. In his session, “Why Nobody Reads Your Paper,” CSPA speaker Robert Greenman discusses some of the things students do that cause more of their papers to be found in the recycle bin than in the hands of students.

During the 45-minute session on March 17, he emphasized the importance of human stories and conversational writing style.

“You’ve got to try to get emotion into your paper,” Greenman, who has been involved in journalism for more than 30 years, said to the audience. “If you’re writing interestingly, people will read it. The most attention-getting articles in your paper will be about people.”

As a newspaper in education consultant to The New York Times, Greenman also stressed the idea that students should model their papers after big-name counterparts.

“You have to emulate the professional papers,” he said.

For more information on The Feather staff’s experience at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s convention, read Feather staff gains cultural, journalistic education.