Sit Down and Write Ch. 1 of “Writing Across the Media,” by James G. Stovall (6th Ed.) Graham Garner Writing Across the Media MC 120/299 Fall 2008

Ch. 1 of “Writing Across the Media,” by James G. Stovall (6th Ed.)

Writing is Hard Work It requires us to give of ourselves. It demands your total attention. When published, it means putting aside our ego and letting others give feedback. It’s a process. It’s building. Requires reading good writing.

It requires us to give of ourselves.

It demands your total attention.

When published, it means putting aside our ego and letting others give feedback.

It’s a process.

It’s building.

Requires reading good writing.

What is Good Writing? Efficient. Minimum number of words to make a point. Precise. Words used for their exact meaning. Clear. Leaves no doubt or confusion in reader’s mind. Modest. Doesn’t show off or draw attention to itself.

Efficient. Minimum number of words to make a point.

Precise. Words used for their exact meaning.

Clear. Leaves no doubt or confusion in reader’s mind.

Modest. Doesn’t show off or draw attention to itself.

Who Do You Write For? Not yourself. Not for a teacher. Not for a friend. Not for other writers. Write for the masses.

Not yourself.

Not for a teacher.

Not for a friend.

Not for other writers.

Write for the masses.

How Do You Write for the Masses? Collaborate. Use editors and other writers. Have integrity. Don’t accept inaccuracies or imprecision. Be humble. You can always do better.

Collaborate. Use editors and other writers.

Have integrity. Don’t accept inaccuracies or imprecision.

Be humble. You can always do better.

Know the Tools of the Trade Spelling. Grammar. Vocabulary. You are caretaker of the language.

Spelling.

Grammar.

Vocabulary.

You are caretaker of the language.

Know the Subject Research. Learn the background. Understand the product. Ask questions of experts.

Research.

Learn the background.

Understand the product.

Ask questions of experts.

Write it Down Just Do It. Develop a routine. Learn to concentrate. Take lots of notes. Then, prioritize. Take risks.

Just Do It.

Develop a routine.

Learn to concentrate.

Take lots of notes. Then, prioritize.

Take risks.

Edit and Rewrite Reread. Can it be clearer? Can it be more precise? Can it be more readable? Edit. Rewrite.

Reread.

Can it be clearer?

Can it be more precise?

Can it be more readable?

Edit.

Rewrite.

Improving: Write Simply Clarity comes from simplicity.

Clarity comes from simplicity.

Improving: Use Simple Words Stay away from big or complicated words. Impress your reader with the story, not your prose.

Stay away from big or complicated words.

Impress your reader with the story, not your prose.

Improving: Use Simple Sentences Does it always have to be subject-predicate or subject-verb-object? Make it easy to read

Does it always have to be subject-predicate or subject-verb-object?

Make it easy to read

Improving: Use Fewer Words Next to simplicity is brevity. Be on the hunt for words, phrases and sentences that don’t add substance. Stay away from fancy phrases. Focus your reader on the story, not your writing.

Next to simplicity is brevity.

Be on the hunt for words, phrases and sentences that don’t add substance.

Stay away from fancy phrases.

Focus your reader on the story, not your writing.

Improving: Eliminate Jargon, Clichés and Bureaucratese Jargon: Technical language used in specialized fields. Clichés: Overused words, phrases and clauses. Bureaucratese: It’s lathered writing.

Jargon: Technical language used in specialized fields.

Clichés: Overused words, phrases and clauses.

Bureaucratese: It’s lathered writing.

Improving: Use Familiar Words You are not a Word-of-the-Day calendar. Don’t be a speed bump in your readers’ path. Worse yet, don’t be a parking lot full of speed bumps. Avoid foreign phrases.

You are not a Word-of-the-Day calendar.

Don’t be a speed bump in your readers’ path.

Worse yet, don’t be a parking lot full of speed bumps.

Avoid foreign phrases.

Improving: Vary Sentence Type and Length Use all four kinds of sentence structures: Simple Compound Complex Compound-Complex Don’t use inverted sentences (subject at the end).

Use all four kinds of sentence structures:

Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-Complex

Don’t use inverted sentences (subject at the end).

Improving: Pay Attention to Nouns and Verbs Nouns and verbs are the strongest words Make them your foundation, or core, and use all other word types to build on or around them. A good verb offers both action and description.

Nouns and verbs are the strongest words

Make them your foundation, or core, and use all other word types to build on or around them.

A good verb offers both action and description.

Improving: Transitions They tie together what you mean. Don’t create stops or surprises. Keep the train rolling.

They tie together what you mean.

Don’t create stops or surprises.

Keep the train rolling.

Differences in Writing for Mass Media Subject Matter. There is a wider variety. Purpose. It’s threefold — inform, entertain, persuade. Audience. Much broader demographic. Circumstances of the Writing. More collaboration, more deadlines, and writing amongst other writers.

Subject Matter. There is a wider variety.

Purpose. It’s threefold — inform, entertain, persuade.

Audience. Much broader demographic.

Circumstances of the Writing. More collaboration, more deadlines, and writing amongst other writers.

Becoming a Professional Versatility. News writing: Inverted pyramid. Broadcast writing: dramatic unity. Advertising copy: Facility with language for persuasive effect. Public relations: all above, plus good letter writing. Web: Nonlinear hypertext, headlines, subheads, summaries.

Versatility.

News writing: Inverted pyramid.

Broadcast writing: dramatic unity.

Advertising copy: Facility with language for persuasive effect.

Public relations: all above, plus good letter writing.

Web: Nonlinear hypertext, headlines, subheads, summaries.

Text and Images Integrate graphics and text, especially on the Web. Leonardo da Vinci. Dan Brown novel in other editions; David McCulloch’s 1776.

Integrate graphics and text, especially on the Web.

Leonardo da Vinci.

Dan Brown novel in other editions; David McCulloch’s 1776.

Web Sites to Visit American Society of Journalists and Authors: www.asja.org American Society of Newspaper Editors: www.asne.org Power of Words: www.projo.com/words Poynter’s Online “Fifty Writing Tools”: www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=78&aid=103943 Writers Write: The Write Resource: www.writerswrite.com

American Society of Journalists and Authors: www.asja.org

American Society of Newspaper Editors: www.asne.org

Power of Words: www.projo.com/words

Poynter’s Online “Fifty Writing Tools”: www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=78&aid=103943

Writers Write: The Write Resource: www.writerswrite.com