"To write well means to choose the right words for each occasion, not to fit the occasion to precooked words. That requires a thoughtful effort." (pg 48)
I chose this quote because I thought it was really good advice, that could be applied not only to the language used in writing articles, but also to the format in which we write articles. This quote also struck relevance with me because I thought that I was doing a decent enough job writing these first few articles, but after the readings, I've come to the realization that I'm really a long way away from where I need to be. I noticed that in my writing I performed some of the mistakes we were warned about in chapters 3 & 5. For instance I have a habit of "starting out with a long subsidiary clause that marches ahead of the main idea" (pg 30) - like I just did
I don't do it necessarily in the lead, but I noticed it throughout my articles. I also have a tendency to begin my leads in ways I always thought news articles began with the full date. However, now that I've been informed I definitely plan on choosing my words with the utmost care.
Comments (1)
Sounds like you are taking concrete, specific steps that will help you build on your existing verbal skills and move on. Have you thought about a leadership position with The Setonian? Three years ago we had sophomores who were the editor-in-chief, the news editor, and the business manager, so it's not too soon for you to think about how you might build your resume by taking on responsibility with The Setonian.
Posted by Dennis G. Jerz | September 20, 2007 8:35 PM
Posted on September 20, 2007 20:35