Finding a Common Bond

I listened to a WGBH Morning Story today.  It was called "A Million Dollar Cookie."  It started with Tony Kahn eating a cookie made from an original recipe.  He described everything about the cookie.  The taste, the smell, the texture.  Everything you recognize when eating a cookie yourself.  In all honesty, I really wanted to try this carmel chai cookie!  

The story went so much deeper than just the perfect brown color of a cookie though.  We met Kerstin Sinkevicius, who created the recipe.  We learned some background information about her life and her family.  She had entered over 30 recipes into the Pillsbury Bake-Off in an attempt to win a million dollars!  The money would secure a bright future for her future children.  All she wanted to do was be able to provide for her children what her parents could for her.

Then, the story took a surprising twist.  It didn't come until the middle of the story.  Here the audience is, thinking that they're listening to a happy story about cookies and winning millions, and then you're hit with a bomb.  Her mother has a brain tumor.  Ironically enough, Sinkevicius has dedicated her life to learning more about tumors and why they grow back after they've gone away.  There isn't much she can do though.

Kahn was able to become a part of this story because his mother in law recently passed away, and her and his wife shared a love of baking.  He talked about his wife having a cook book that used to be their favorite.  This got Sinkevicius talking about the passion her and her mother have for baking, and her favorite cook book that's pink with a cupcake on it.  Kahn bringing up his personal story made Sinkevicius feel more comfortable and able to open up about her story.

Finding a common ground with the central compelling character seems to be key.  You make the CCC more comfortable, and show them that you, as a journalist, are a human being, and not just someone asking question after question.