Inventing quotes and news

A commenter sent me a link to this article in the Scots paper "Daily Record". It's a fine example of how to get some original material for a story to make it more interesting for readers. Research? Contacts? Don't be silly, just make it up as you go along! Saves so much effort :-)
Pope Is Secret Fanta Fan

THE Pope has been revealed as a secret Fanta drinker [it's not a secret - everyone in Rome knows this] after a trip to the Vatican by Archbishop of York John Sentamu.

He took Pope Benedict XVI a case of Holy Grail beer, brewed in Yorkshire, but was in turn handed a glass of the fizzy orange drink. [No he wasn't. This is completely invented.]

Aides [who?] say the German-born Pope is addicted to Fanta [no they don't] and guzzles down four cans a day [really?] - which adds up to 1460 cans a year. [Well yes 4 x 365=1460. congratulations for getting that right!]

Vatican spokesman Father Tim Finigan [Well thanks! But actually that's invented too.] said: "The Holy Father shuns booze and tries to convert all his guests to the benefits of pop. ["Fr Tim, why say such a daft thing?" Well, as you might have guessed, I didn't.]

"He prefers Fanta. I'm not really sure why, perhaps because it was originally created in Germany.

"But he goes through at least three or four cans a day and always has it with his evening meal." [Nope. didn't say that either.]

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