Good writing in a newspaper is no accident.
It’s what happens when newspapers pay attention, when they actively encourage reader-friendly writing.
So we’re beginning a weekly series of tips on good writing here on our website. It’s a series designed for busy reporters and writers. In fact, it’s all on podcast, so you can listen while you’re doing something else.
The podcasts feature America’s Writing Coach, Paula LaRocque. Paula has spoken at our workshops before, and there’s nobody better to explain what makes writing effective. The first week’s podcast is the three attributes of good writing. And next week, we’ll release another.
You can use these podcasts to structure your own writing improvement program at your newspaper. For instance, bring in burgers or pizza for a “writer’s lunch” once a week. Over lunch, listen to the podcast. Then talk about how to apply those principles to your newspapers. Have some papers at the meeting, so you can skim some articles and see how they could be improved, using the principles Paula talked about that day.
Even if you only make these available for staff members to listen at their computers, we think you’ll begin to see improvements – good writing flourishes in atmospheres where we think about it and talk about it and look for ways to implement it.
And watch next week for the next installment of Paula’s writing tips.
Listen to Paula’s first session here: /training/3-attributes-good-writing
And watch for more sessions at /training