Tuber has contributed to Challenge, the publication of the Public Service Division, since 2010. We’ve seen the publication through not one but two major editorial and design revamps – both in print and digital, growing an online presence via the website, building with partners an iPad app (which fizzled out), and even developing an accompanying podcast.

Along the way, we started and closed editorial columns, with some going away as the publication went fully digital (goodbye, our beloved light-hearted Pullout section) and others remaining evergreen (the popular Cuppa interview column and Letters from a Young Public Officer).

In our many years of helming Challenge, here’s what we’ve learnt that no generative AI writer can do or teach you:

1) Research makes a difference

Deep research can throw up surprising findings that offer refreshing insights and story angles. It’s especially vital for interviews such as
A Cuppa With…, a profile series with senior leaders in the Public Service. Being as prepared as possible will sharpen your questions and boost your confidence going into the interview.

Even if you don’t end up using the material in your final written work, showing that you’ve done the research will earn you respect from your interview subject. You will save them time and breath from having to explain basic background information, and you’ll impress them with the lesser-known facts you uncover.

An interview with Mr Pang Kin Keong, then-Permanent Secretary of Transport, delved deeper into his full career experience, including a time when he had to deal with an unprecedented national crisis.

Most people find pleasure and comfort in knowing that their time (and your interview assignment) is being treated with care. By putting in the effort to do thorough research, your conversation is less likely to catch you wrong-footed and opens up opportunities for building greater rapport. You never know what great stories will then be shared with you.

2) Simplify, simplify, simplify

The general rule for snappier writing is short words and short paragraphs. But shorter does not always mean clearer. 

Challenge, being a government publication, covered every public agency and their various projects, schemes, initiatives and policies. Naturally, this could lead to articles filled with the alphabet soup of public service jargon and bureaucratese. Our added value was to always reduce the number of abbreviations and unfamiliar terms as much as possible to keep the reading experience smooth.

3) The power of visuals

Working in a print medium allowed us to experiment with visuals across pages. Often, convoluted processes or “dry” stories can be animated with flowcharts, or cold numbers presented with more impact using infographics.

Here’s how we turned a public service “report card” into a chart that shows the connections between public agencies, and how they work together to reach certain outcomes.

When telling stories, think beyond only words such as headings and captions, and visualise how the article might look on the page or website. What photos, illustrations or diagrams can help you better tell the story? ChatGPT and other AI assistants may offer some ideas, but as they are often text-based, you might be more inspired by browsing magazines, newspapers, websites and other editorial publications instead.

One of writer Hidayah’s favourite assignments is this feature of a Sentosa marine conservationist. Hidayah says: “I enjoy photoshoots/on-site interviews because I get to see people in action and paint a picture of this setting in the story. I love it when I can add storytelling to my articles.”
4) Observe the world around you

Creating good stories first starts with an idea. To come up with ideas relevant to your audience, your brain needs input. Read widely, and keep up with current events as much as you can. Your reading diet can go beyond books and newspapers to include comics, videos and podcasts – even the latest memes and the media you consume for fun, like TV series. Generative AI can be useful for prompts and some ideas, but no bot can truly do the thinking for you. It takes a curious and engaged human mind to connect the dots, mix things up, contextualise trends and issues for a specific audience, and create something truly fresh.

Keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for story ideas. Writer Maziah combined a personal interest in the Korean super-group BTS and art gallery tours to pitch and write a profile piece on a teacher who did a work stint and a BTS-themed trail at the National Gallery Singapore.
5) Go with the flow, not your ego

Often, writers or editors have a clear idea or vision of how to write an article. Writers might start a draft with examples they really want to include or do an interview with an article flow already in mind.

In the process of writing, however, you might discover that these intended elements don’t gel or flow well with the rest of the article. Writers might even get feedback from the editor or client that these ideas don’t make sense. It’s important to write what works for the article or publication, not what works for you. In other words, you might have to “kill your darlings”.

Writer Hidayah shares: “When I get such feedback, I admit, I sometimes tried to push back by altering the rest of the article to accommodate these portions. But it rarely worked. My ideas, no matter how brilliant they seemed, were not always the best fit for what my articles needed.”

Writing as a team can be challenging, but when done with editorial sensitivity and consideration, it often leads to a better product.

Having a second opinion from a human reader or editor often makes all the difference. After all, despite the presence of search engine crawler bots and algorithms on the Internet, it’s not AI that will truly engage with your writing, but human beings you want to influence and connect with.

Text by: Maziah | Images by: Tuber, Challenge PSD