9.5. TEMPLATE FOR STORIES TO TAME THE GRAPEVINE
When constructing a story aimed at taming the grapevine, take the following principles into account:
Before trying to satirize a rumor or bad news, make sure that it is untrue or unreasonable. If the rumor or bad news is true, admit it, remove the cause of it if you can, put it in perspective, and move on.
If you know the author of the rumor, explore whether it is possible and appropriate to satirize that person.
Assess the inherent plausibility of the rumor or bad news to determine whether it can be satirized as lacking inherent credibility.
Explore whether your own relationship to the content of the rumor or bad news can be exploited to show its inherent improbability; self-deprecatory humor is ...
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