Paul Bradshaw Senior Lecturer, Online Journalism, Magazines and New Media, School of Media, Birmingham City University, UK (mediacourses.com) Blogger, Online Journalism Blog Sub editing and SEO for magazines

Golden rules Check for legals Draw the reader in On the web: think about how you’d search

Check for legals

Draw the reader in

On the web: think about how you’d search

Why learn to sub? Professional presentation of your own work Subs being laid off – but everyone expected to sub Search engine optimisation becoming key skill

Professional presentation of your own work

Subs being laid off – but everyone expected to sub

Search engine optimisation becoming key skill

Bradshaw’s Impossible Spelling & Grammar Test! 14 questions, 25 points – the point is to learn, not to prove your ability!

14 questions, 25 points – the point is to learn, not to prove your ability!

Bradshaw’s Impossible Spelling & Grammar Test! Minuscule They’re living in their house over there (3) Blond man It’s got its tail caught in its teeth (3) She was definitely humorous (2) The burglar stole some jewellery (2) manoeuvre I believed him – but he deceived me (2) gauge He had a driving licence – and he was licensed to kill (2) (same applies to advice and advise, practice and practise) liaise He had one tomato and two potatoes (2) The principal thing was not to forget your principles She sat on the Portaloo drinking from a Thermos (2) (these are trademarks and so should be capitalised)

Minuscule

They’re living in their house over there (3)

Blond man

It’s got its tail caught in its teeth (3)

She was definitely humorous (2)

The burglar stole some jewellery (2)

manoeuvre

I believed him – but he deceived me (2)

gauge

He had a driving licence – and he was licensed to kill (2) (same applies to advice and advise, practice and practise)

liaise

He had one tomato and two potatoes (2)

The principal thing was not to forget your principles

She sat on the Portaloo drinking from a Thermos (2) (these are trademarks and so should be capitalised)

What a sub (sub-editor) does Varies wildly – Some newspaper subs control layout of page, placement, type size, etc. Others focus on proofing, facts, legals, etc. Headlines, captions, subheadings, bylines, standfirsts, and pullquotes Publication style Repurposes copy from PA etc.

Varies wildly –

Some newspaper subs control layout of page, placement, type size, etc.

Others focus on proofing, facts, legals, etc.

Headlines, captions, subheadings, bylines, standfirsts, and pullquotes

Publication style

Repurposes copy from PA etc.

Subbing – the Intro Is it snappy? Does it grab the reader? Does it make sense? (read with new eyes) Is it up-to-date? Is it a readable length?

Is it snappy?

Does it grab the reader?

Does it make sense? (read with new eyes)

Is it up-to-date?

Is it a readable length?

Subbing – story structure Does the story back up the intro? Does the story unfold naturally? Are there any obvious gaps? Are quotes used sensibly? Check key facts aren’t left until last

Does the story back up the intro?

Does the story unfold naturally?

Are there any obvious gaps?

Are quotes used sensibly?

Check key facts aren’t left until last

Subbing – language Is the story in house style? Cut out waffle/clichés Don’t overload the story

Is the story in house style?

Cut out waffle/clichés

Don’t overload the story

Subbing – quotes Are they worth using? Is it obvious who said what? Are they in readable chunks? Don’t jump around too much Don’t alter without a good reason

Are they worth using?

Is it obvious who said what?

Are they in readable chunks?

Don’t jump around too much

Don’t alter without a good reason

Subbing – key facts Name Age Address Job Who/why/what/where/when/how Background – don’t assume anything

Name

Age

Address

Job

Who/why/what/where/when/how

Background – don’t assume anything

Subbing – checking up News editor/reporter Cuttings files Newspapers on file Reference books NOT Wikipedia – source of many errors, so Google ‘Wikipedia mistake + name of person’

News editor/reporter

Cuttings files

Newspapers on file

Reference books

NOT Wikipedia – source of many errors, so Google ‘Wikipedia mistake + name of person’

Subbing – checklist Check it’s necessary – can you add or adjust? Check facts against original Check spelling – esp. names Have quotes been reproduced accurately or paraphrased fairly? Has house style been followed?

Check it’s necessary – can you add or adjust?

Check facts against original

Check spelling – esp. names

Have quotes been reproduced accurately or paraphrased fairly?

Has house style been followed?

Subbing – checklist Has the best, most unusual or personalized angle gone into the intro? Are handwritten bits on proofs readable? Is copy marked up correctly? Have you kept to the word or paragraph count? Is EVERYTHING totally clear?

Has the best, most unusual or personalized angle gone into the intro?

Are handwritten bits on proofs readable?

Is copy marked up correctly?

Have you kept to the word or paragraph count?

Is EVERYTHING totally clear?

Headlines Tell and sell the story Cliché free (bid, rap, quiz, probe, dash)

Tell and sell the story

Cliché free (bid, rap, quiz, probe, dash)

Cliché headline generator

The classic headline: Man bites dog Short words O bjects, not concepts Active verb ( is – not ‘to be’) Present tense (bites, not bit) Tells the story Has immediacy and impact

Short words

O bjects, not concepts

Active verb ( is – not ‘to be’)

Present tense (bites, not bit)

Tells the story

Has immediacy and impact

What to focus on Names: personalise where possible Quotes: select key point Look ahead: report news, not history Main interest: don’t be obscure Off-beat: unusual angle, especially in features Word play: don’t be too clever Puns: go easy

Names: personalise where possible

Quotes: select key point

Look ahead: report news, not history

Main interest: don’t be obscure

Off-beat: unusual angle, especially in features

Word play: don’t be too clever

Puns: go easy

Do something now You should have a sheet of photocopied ‘In Brief’ stories. Write a headline – or more - for each one. Pick out the best. See what other people have come up with .

You should have a sheet of photocopied ‘In Brief’ stories. Write a headline – or more - for each one. Pick out the best. See what other people have come up with .

Captions Explain photos (don’t describe them!) Lure readers Add personality (humour, creativity) Relate to picture, don’t confuse with. Consistency of placement Proximity to pic Underneath if possible

Explain photos (don’t describe them!)

Lure readers

Add personality (humour, creativity)

Relate to picture, don’t confuse with.

Consistency of placement

Proximity to pic

Underneath if possible

Caption writing tips Brainstorm words associated with the imagery Think of common phrases that feature one of those words E.g. for an image of some eye make-up to go with an article on fashion: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” Don’t just retell the story – relate it Watch your tenses

Brainstorm words associated with the imagery

Think of common phrases that feature one of those words

E.g. for an image of some eye make-up to go with an article on fashion: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”

Don’t just retell the story – relate it

Watch your tenses

Do something now Find some images for one of these stories (think laterally, not literally): An article about pig farmers Piece about punk music Piece about Asian fashion Celebrity chefs Computer hackers Male grooming Diet fads Try PAPhotos, Mirrorpix, Corbis, other image libraries Brainstorm words and phrases around image Use those to come up with captions

Find some images for one of these stories (think laterally, not literally):

An article about pig farmers

Piece about punk music

Piece about Asian fashion

Celebrity chefs

Computer hackers

Male grooming

Diet fads

Try PAPhotos, Mirrorpix, Corbis, other image libraries

Brainstorm words and phrases around image

Use those to come up with captions

Subbing for the web: SEO Headlines and subheadings crucial to how search engines ‘rank’ you for particular searches Users scan-read for relevancy Puns and clever headlines don’t work Include key words, e.g. names, places E.g. ‘Kerry Katona’s GMTV disaster’

Headlines and subheadings crucial to how search engines ‘rank’ you for particular searches

Users scan-read for relevancy

Puns and clever headlines don’t work

Include key words, e.g. names, places

E.g. ‘Kerry Katona’s GMTV disaster’

Do something now Take your ‘In Brief’ headlines and rewrite for the web

Take your ‘In Brief’ headlines and rewrite for the web

Paul Bradshaw Senior Lecturer, Online Journalism, Magazines and New Media, School of Media, Birmingham City University, UK (mediacourses.com) Blogger, Online Journalism Blog [email_address]