British Salmoa Times — Correspondent’s Wall Checklist

(For first-person correspondence & long-form reporting)

Before You Write

☐ What actually happened — stripped of feeling
☐ Where it happened
☐ Why the reader should care now

If you can’t answer these in one sentence each, don’t start yet.

While You Write

☐ Am I reporting or performing?
☐ Does this sentence add information, context, or orientation?
☐ If removed, would the reader lose understanding — or only mood?

Keep the sentence only if it does the former.

Voice & Tone Check

☐ Plain English before elegant English
☐ No metaphor unless it clarifies something factual
☐ No drama unless the facts are inherently dramatic
☐ Atmosphere supports facts — never replaces them

If it feels “beautiful,” ask whether it is also necessary.

First-Person Discipline

☐ I observe; I do not interpret for others
☐ I describe actions, not interior states
☐ I do not place conclusions in the reader’s mouth

Use I as a camera, not a judge.

Dialogue & Quotation

☐ Every quote advances understanding
☐ No reconstructed thoughts
☐ No dialogue included solely for colour

If a line sounds clever, be suspicious.

Science & Technical Content

☐ Hypothesis ≠ result ≠ law
☐ What is known vs. inferred is clearly marked
☐ Limitations are stated plainly

Never let authority substitute for evidence.

Institutional Voices

☐ Officials sound procedural, not theatrical
☐ Military language is precise, not romantic
☐ Orders, titles, and structures are correct

Institutions speak in function, not feeling.

Final Pass (Most Important)

☐ Could this be accused of sensationalism?
☐ Could it mislead a careful reader?
☐ Have I allowed restraint to do the work?

If uncertain, cut — don’t decorate.