-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Steve Strasser on In writing, the magic is in the details.
- In writing, the magic is in the details. | The Write Stuff on The details of good writing.
- Jack Styczynski on How to write a good lede.*
- Heath Meriwether on How to write a good lede.*
- Heath Meriwether on How to write a good lede.*
Archives
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
Categories
Meta
Category Archives: Writing Advice
Get active to improve your writing.
“Reduced to its essence, a good English sentence is a statement that an agent (the subject of the sentence) performed an action (the verb) upon something (the object).” — John Ciardi, American poet and writing teacher “Those of us lucky … Continue reading
Posted in Writing Advice
Tagged "to be" verb forms, active verbs, active voice, jack hart, john ciardi, passive voice
Comments Off on Get active to improve your writing.
Make sure your quotes help tell the story.
It’s important to be selective about the quotes you use in stories. Too many stories get larded with quotes that don’t advance the story, quotes that provide information rather than insight into a character, a cause or a theme. Our … Continue reading
Want clips? Know your audience.
By Tim Harper and Heath Meriwether It’s great to see the clips being generated by so many CUNY students. They’re a fresh reminder about how important it is, when you’re “selling” an article, to understand the audience you’re trying to … Continue reading
Posted in Writing Advice
Tagged daily news, dossier, hannah rappleye, intimacy, jenni avins, know your audience, punchy approaches, writing for immediacy
Comments Off on Want clips? Know your audience.
To write better, read better.
The first step in becoming a better writer is to read good writing. Sounds basic but I’m often surprised by how often this is ignored by students, and others, who want to improve their writing. The excuse that ‘I don’t … Continue reading
Posted in Writing Advice
Tagged good writing, parallelism, reading, simple powerful words, ted kennedy
1 Comment
How to make the best possible pitch.
Most of you are about halfway finished at the J-School – the midpoint of the middle semester – and you’re realizing what it takes to be a professional, to get the OK to do the stories you want to do, … Continue reading
How to fight panic on deadline.
There isn’t a journalist alive who hasn’t panicked on deadline. The idea that you’re not alone may be small comfort to those who’ve experienced that sweaty-palms feeling. But Write Stuff is here to help, along with suggestions from your Craft … Continue reading