Description
Book SynopsisDynamics of Media Writing Third Edition gives students transferable skills that can be applied across all media platforms—from traditional mass media formats like news, public relations, and advertising to emerging digital media platforms. Whether issuing a press release or tweeting about a new app, today’s media writers need to
adapt their message for each specific media format in order to successfully
connect with their audience. Throughout this text,
award-winning teacher and college media adviser Vincent F. Filak introduces fundamental writing skills that apply to all media, while also highlighting which writing tools and techniques are most effective for specific media formats and why. User-friendly and loaded with practical examples and tips from professionals across mass media, this is the perfect guide for any student wanting to launch a professional media writing career.
Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments About the Author PART I. THE BASICS YOU NEED, REGARDLESS OF FIELD Chapter 1. Know Your Audience How to Define an Audience Key Questions to Ask in Serving Your Readers What Attracts an Audience? What Audiences Need to Know and How to Make Them Care The Big Three Chapter 2. Being Accurate, Relying on the Facts Why Is Journalism Such a Picky Field? Why Media Professionals Matter More Than Ever Making Sure You Are Sure Examining the Broader Issues The Big Three Chapter 3. Grammar, Style and Language Basics Why Do Grammar and Style Matter? Sentence Structure Sentence Length Read Your Work Aloud How to Keep Writing Tight and Right The Big Three Chapter 4. Basic Media Writing The “Killer Be’s” of Good Writing The Inverted Pyramid Leads: The Prominence of Importance Types of Leads Problematic Leads and Potential Fixes How to Order the Rest of Your Pyramid The Big Three Chapter 5. Interviewing Interview Preparation Places to Dig Getting the Interview Interacting With Your Source Interviewing via Email or Text Interviewing for Multiple Media The Questions Interview Flow Silence as an Ally The Nonverbal Approach: How to Ask a Question Without Asking The End of the Interview (Almost) Follow-Up Interviews The Big Three Chapter 6. Writing for Websites and Blogs Working on the Web Blogging Best Blogging Practices How to Build a Quality Blog Post Linking and Other Interactive Elements Engaging Readers The Big Three Chapter 7. Social Media What Does Social Media Do? Why Is Social Media Valuable? Social Media Tools How to Avoid #Fail Building a Social Media Audience The Big Three Chapter 8. Law and Ethics in Media Writing The First Amendment Libel Legal Defenses Against Libel Getting SLAPP-ed Anyway Copyright How to Avoid Copyright Infringement Ethics and the Media Ethical Concerns How to Work Through Ethical Dilemmas Determining Your Own Approach to Ethics The Big Three PART II. FOCUS ON NEWS MEDIA Chapter 9. Reporting: The Basics and Beyond Event Coverage Preparing for the Event How to Cover the Event News Reporting Beyond the Event Beats Features Profile Writing Localizations Obituaries The Big Three Chapter 10. Writing for Traditional Print News Products Nuances for Print Writing Attributions Expanding the Inverted Pyramid The Big Three Chapter 11. Writing for Broadcast Nuances for Broadcast Writing Structure Integrating Additional Elements Types of Stories Polishing Your Final Piece for Delivery The Big Three PART III. FOCUS ON MARKETING MEDIA Chapter 12. Public Relations Defining PR Types of PR Writing Keys to PR Why the Media Matters The Big Three Chapter 13. Advertising Defining Advertising The Creative Brief Message Formation Writing in Advertising The Big Three Chapter 14. Marketing Brands and Branding Campaigns Versus Brands Useful Marketing Platforms and Tools Copywriting for a Brand Ways to Work With and for Your Readers Writing Creatively for Marketing The Big Three Glossary Index
