Author Archives: Heath Meriwether

William Safire, Wordsmith, R.I.P.

William Safire, the Nixon speechwriter turned Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the New York Times, cared deeply about words and the way we use them. It’s fitting, then, that his obituary today paid homage to his longtime column on language as … Continue reading

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National Punctuation Day!:?{-}(–)",;'…!

Rejoice, it’s National Punctuation Day! The brainchild of a former newspaperman turned newsletter writer, Jeff Rubin, the day is dedicated to the correct use of punctuation. Naturally, newspaper columnists and editors hungry for any idea they can turn around quickly … Continue reading

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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

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How to write good leads.

The lead’s the thing. Editing sessions with new students last week suggested many of you struggle to come up with leads that hook readers.  A common flaw:  Too much information crammed into the first paragraph.  When you stuff most of … Continue reading

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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

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John Updike, a writer remembered.

The death of one of our great writers, John Updike, sent me on a search for memories. Although best known for his novels and short stories, Updike was an extraordinary observer of real life, whether it was the glories of … Continue reading

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Words to live by.

The occasional newsletter from the Writing Coaches at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. Tim Harper        Room 413 (or hanging out in the newsroom) Tuesday         noon – 5 p.m. Wednesday         10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Thursday         noon – 5 p.m. … Continue reading

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Roberts' Rules of writing and reporting.

Gene Roberts’ first editor was blind but it didn’t deter him from teaching the young reporter out of the University of North Carolina one of the most valuable lessons of his long, storied career. “Make me see,” the editor of … Continue reading

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The 'nut' of the matter.

If, threatened with waterboarding, I were forced to choose the biggest writing problem I see, it would be the nut graf. It’s talked about a lot in Craft classes but I still find myself questioning students about why their stories … Continue reading

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Nocera's Nuggets: A primer on reporting.

Joe Nocera, the Times’ business columnist, Tuesday presented a primer on reporting to Tim Harper’s Craft Class. The veteran business writer and columnist has covered everyone from Boone Pickens (from his Texas oil-patch days) to Steve Jobs (who called Nocera … Continue reading

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