Natural Sound Stories

All of the broadcast stories I've come to admire make the most of natural sound to tell their stories. There is something to be said for a story that can speak for itself, without help from the reporter. At the same time, though, I respect radio reporters for their ability to writer pieces for the ear, using words that effectively get the point across when natural sound may not be the best option. I think its the combination of these two things that makes for a good story.
The one thing that I have had the most difficulty with thus far is trying to force myself out of my "writer" thought process. I have found it very difficult to sit at an editing bay and try to focus on the sound I have collected. What I wouldn't give if it all could be transcribed for me, word for word. I'm so used to writing newspaper style stories, being able to see the information I've collected, and piece it together like a puzzle. Trying to do this with audio isn't easy. It's outside my comfort zone.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing though is knowing that I have a good idea of what makes a good radio style story. I've heard them. I know what makes the ones I enjoy so effective. But I'm not exactly at the point yet where I can create mini masterpieces of my own. It can be hard to move forward with a story that you know isn't working quite right. I usually know what would make it better, but I often don't know how to change it.