The Basics of Media Writing

PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHORS SECTION I: MEDIA WRITING FOUNDATIONS CHAPTER 1: YOU AS A WRITER Welcome to Media Writing! Media Consumption and Production, All at Once Media Responsibilities and Challenges The Role of Skilled Writing Understanding Yourself as a Writer The Media Writer’s Self-Perception (MWSP) Scale The Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation (GSP) Test Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 2: MEDIA WRITING PROFESSIONS AND STRATEGIES 21st-Century Media: A Rapidly Changing Landscape Overview of the Major Media Professions Professional Media Writing Strategy Using the FAJA Points in Your Writing Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 3: MEDIA WRITING STYLE AND LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS Style: Your Audiences Are Counting on It Media Writing Style Conventions The Connection Between Thinking and Writing Style Guides Selected Points of AP Style Additional Language Rules Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources SECTION II: NEWS SETTINGS CHAPTER 4: REPORTING AND INTERVIEWING Journalism: A Higher Calling The First Amendment Guarantee Professional News Writing Standards The Converged Media Environment Applying the Professional Strategy Triangle to Reporting News Reporting Interviewing Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 5: HARD NEWS AND FEATURE WRITING Versatility Is the Key The Multiplatform Story Writing the Hard News Story Using Quotations Writing the Feature Story Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 6: ELECTRONIC NEWS WRITING: RADIO AND TELEVISION The Electronic Media Professions What Do Broadcast Journalists Do? The Professional Strategy Triangle for Broadcast News Actualities and Sound Bites: Sound on Tape Television News Copy Promotional and Housekeeping Copy Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 7: COPYEDITING Copy Editors: The Critical Link Overview of the Copyediting Profession Copyediting in News and Public Relations Settings Copyediting in the Digital Environment Copyediting Techniques Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 8: MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS Media Law and Ethics Work Together The Fundamental Freedoms of the First Amendment Libel: Damage to Reputation Through False Content Privacy Law Copyright and the Law of Intellectual Property Access to Government Information and Government Meetings Ethics in the Media Special Considerations for Public Relations and Advertising Other Approaches to Ethical Decision-Making Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources SECTION III: DIGITAL SETTINGS CHAPTER 9: WRITING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA It’s Both Personal and Professional The Media Industry and Social Media Planning Social Media Campaigns Social Media Copywriting Key Style Elements for Social Media Copy Social Media Copywriting: Length Matters Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 10: WEB COPYWRITING The Omnipresent World Wide Web Web Copywriting Middle-Form Web Copy: Style Long-Form Web Copy: Blogs Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources SECTION IV: PERSUASIVE SETTINGS CHAPTER 11: BASIC PERSUASIVE WRITING Persuasion: A Timeless Skill Key Persuasion Theories Persuasion, Ethics, and Professionalism Using the FAJA Points for Persuasion Example 1: Using Judgment for Public Relations Writing Example 2: Using Action for Advertising Writing Putting Persuasion Topic Points to Work Moving Audiences to Action With Motive Appeals Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 12: PUBLIC RELATIONS Public Relations Is Everywhere The Three Types of Media: Paid, Earned, and Owned Uncontrolled and Controlled Media Professional Media Writing Strategy Public Relations Writing Tools Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 13: ADVERTISING Advertising: A Timeless Enterprise The Advertising Profession The Art and Science of Copywriting Writing the Print Advertisement Writing the Online Advertisement Writing the Radio Commercial Writing the Television Commercial Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources CHAPTER 14: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Business Communication: Anything but Boring! The Corporate Communication Profession Business Communication Flows Four Ways Using the Professional Strategy Triangle for Business Communication Summary Key Terms Discussion Questions Chapter Exercises Additional Resources APPENDIX: MEDIA WRITER’S SELF-PERCEPTION SCALE NOTES INDEX