What is iShare, exactly?
iShare is the user-submitted news section of Adventist News Network, the official news network of the Seventh-day Adventist world church. Our communication team can’t visit the homes of all our church members, but we still want to hear about the things that matter to you. That’s why we created iShare.

How do I get involved?
Keep your eyes open and think like a reporter. Basically, if you see something new, exciting and unusual happening around you, capture the moment. Use your cellphone, point-and-shoot camera or whatever you have with you.

What makes a good story?
You will need to answer the five W’s and the H: who, what, where, when, why and how? Once you do that, think about how you’d explain what just happened to a friend – that will help you figure out where to start your story, and how to clearly describe the situation in easy-to-understand words. Also, ask yourself if your story has emotion. Does it involve someone famous? Did something really out of the ordinary happen? Did it happen just a few minutes ago? These are the things that make a story truly interesting.

A good news story must also tell the truth, and be fair at the same time. If there are two sides to your story, show them both.

That’s all fine and good, but I still don’t know the first thing about writing a news story.
Ok, try sketching it out. Start with what’s most important, add in the details and then connect the dots. Find pictures, sound bites and video that tie the whole thing together into a narrative.

How long should my story be?
Your final edited story should be no less than 30 seconds and no more than 60 seconds in length. Don’t worry, you really can tell a whole story in that time!

What video format do you need?
We’ll take anything. Just send us what you have and we’ll find a way to make it work. Upload your video at news.adventist.org/ishare, or email Megan Brauner for assistance.

Do I get paid?
Sorry, no -- we don’t have a budget for that. However, you DO get the great honor of being a volunteer reporter. That’s worth something, right?