Why We Need a Map

How do journalists make us feel emotions when we read their work? In order to answer this deceptively simple question Martin introduces a new framework, the Virtue Paradigm, and a new analytical tool, the Virtue Map, to better understand the alchemy of how writers construct compelling narrative journalism. Drawing on her study of Walkley-winning magazine feature articles, Australia’s equivalent of the US Pulitzer Prizes for journalism, Martin argues that an examination of the role of emotion can facilitate the representation of virtues in prize-winning features, and that such an examination is both timely and overdue. Her model is a fresh lens to understand how journalists harness reporting and narrative skills to construct stories that challenge us to consider what it means to live well together as a community.