Com202: Writing for Media Book Notes 7.8.

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Chapter 1
P1 “Ideas drive us and society” They gain power when they are written down. People
don’t notice the power in writing. People can learn to write well if they are hardworking and
clever. Early schooling we learned about paragraphs, grammar and punctuation. Writing is hard
work and must need dedication. When writing, think or do nothing else that is an essential to
good writing.
What is Good writing?
For mass media, it’s clear and simple to the point. “It conveys information, ideas and
feeling to the reader clearly without overstatement” It outlines pictures of ideas.

[p2] Good writing is Efficient, Precise, Clear, and Modest.

Efficient -gets to the point with using minimal words.
Precise – using words with exact meaning. No careless words.
Clear – No confusion in readers mind
Modest – Doesn’t show off writer’s intelligence. Content speaks for itself.

Getting Ready to Write

For mass media, you are writing for a larger audience. Writer’s feeling and thoughts take
second to the information. Readers care about what the writer’s ideas and information. Writing is
collaborative efforts which include writers and editors. Editors edit writer’s work to improve and
make the work better. Writers need to have an active sense of integrity. Writers for mass media
know that they can always improve. It’s a craft which writers do whatever it takes to improve on
it.
Four things which writer must do

• Know the Language – must know rulers of grammar, punctuation, and

spelling. Know a variety of words and their meaning.
• Know the Subject – [p4] must know the subject of the article and what is
about. Must do some research to understand it
• Write It Down - As a writer, you must write down your ideas on paper. Not
all the time, you can exceed in writing. In mass media, you have to meet daily
deadlines. Some writers fall victim to writer’s block.
• Edit and Rewrite – Good writers must reread their work, edit, and rewrite.
They must read it critically. Try to make your work clearer, precise, and
readable. Another person read your work makes your writing better. Close
deadlines stop rereading and rewriting.

Basic techniques
[p5] These are not a strict set of rulers you must follow. These are basic techniques which
are good set of habits for writers. Not all writing must use every basic technique
Write Simply - “the key to clarity is simplicity.” Used at the beginning of a
career. Best simple sentences covey powerful messages.
Use Simple Words – short words are harder to use but are more powerful. Big
words often give the reader a negative effect. Write using plainest words.
Use Simple Sentences – [p6] Don’t write simple sentences every single time but
it’s good to use when cleaning up unclear writing. Mass media demands simple
straightforward prose.
Practice Brevity– Use brevity or shortness to edit your work. Take unnecessary
words out of your work to make it clearer. Some words don’t add substantially to the
content. Sometimes they distract the reader. An example is in effect.
Eliminate Jargon, Clichés, and Bureaucratese – [p7]
Jargon- is technique language used in specialized fields. Eliminate them
instead use common words that larger group of people will understand them.
Cliché- is overused words phrases and clauses. They became tiresome and
bored. An example is it’s a small world. These phrases have lost their luster and don’t use
them.
Bureaucratese – is name used for a serious misuse of a language. It’s
when writers try to make their work sound more important. Eliminate them and use
simple words.
Use Familiar Words Rather Than Unfamiliar Words – Avoid complex words
which test the reader. You must use words that your audience will know and understand.
It slows the reader down and may drive the reader away if you try to teach the reader a
new word. Avoid foreign phrases.
Vary Sentence Type and Length – There are four kinds of sentences which are
simple, complex, compound, and compound complex. Use more than word to make your
writing not boring. It gives a pleasing pace to the writing. It allows ideas and information
to come in small amounts. It adds clarity in writing.
Noun and Verbs- [p8] are strongest words in the language. Rely on them and
build on them for support towards a strong writing. Verbs are denotes action and
description. Verb gets the reader involved in the writing.
Transitions – ties together your writing. Read a piece of writing without any
surprises or stops. Try tying new ideas to old ideas in the piece

Writing for the Mass Media

Writing for the mass media differs from other forms of writing.
 – Subject Matter – there is a wide variety of subjects and formats include
news stories, feature stories, advertisements, letters, and editorials.
– Purpose – three major purposes: to inform, entertain or persuade.
– Audience – directed towards a wide audience. It dictates the subject
matter and how it is written.
– Writing environment – it’s in presences of others doing the same thing.
Its under deadline pressure and several people will have a hand in
writing one piece
Professionalism – You want a career in writing for media environment you must develop
personal and professional qualities and skills.You must need versatility in which it’s needed in
order to accept different types of jobs. [pg 9] Important form is the inverted pyramid. It’s used
when the important information is used first then later on not that important. If the writing needs
to be cut, they will cut the end.
The Changing Media Environment – There many outlets for the reader to gather it’s
information. Some of the traditional ways of habits and techniques are not being used or don’t
work. News is reported and written in fast pass. New rulers of media environment have not been
agreed upon.
And Finally… - anyone can become a great writer with enough practice and study.
Writing is not a talent only some have but everyone has steps to take in order to make their
writing better. [p10] Writing needs discipline. You can’t give up on your writing too soon. It’s
also building in which follow the writing process can be long but the end product is worth it.
Reading different forms of writing is the first step then sits down and writes

Chapter 2: Basic Tools of Writing

*Writers should know the rules of grammar, punctuation, and language.
Grammar
Is a System of rulers defines use of the language. Grammar rulers are complex,
involved, and sometimes contradictory and changing because English language is so complex.
Many writers in mass media take aactive role in understanding them. Grammar is a tool to use to
communicate with audience.
Sentences
Is a group of words that contain a subject and verb and expresses a complete
thought. An example is “John ran to the store”
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