Feature and Magazine Writing : Action, Angle and Anecdotes

by David E. Sumner; Holly G. Miller

• ISBN13: 9780813805191
• ISBN10: 0813805198
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-01
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Consider the unique features of Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes. Its authors have taught magazine writing at universities for a combined 30 years and have earned success and acclaim for magazine writing and editing. Its comprehensive chapters cover the most complete range of topics ever included in a magazine and featuring writing text. Its affordability makes it immediately applicable to the hundreds of journalism programs teaching "magazine writing," "feature writing" or similar courses. Authors Sumner and Miller have written a text that genuinely models its message through lively writing, touches of humor and a conversational tone. Coverage includes content too often missing or deficient in existing texts: finding original ideas; developing strong angles; writing for targeted, niche audiences; practical how-to instruction on the many different types of magazine articles; fresh perspective and advice from professional writers and editors; examples, exercises and sample, illustrative articles; glossaries of publishing terms in each chapter; how to find the best Web sites and databases for background research; and how to locate expert sources who are accessible for telephone interviews. Tightly edited, colorfully written, concise, and moderately priced, Feature and Magazine Writing is the textbook of choice for your future feature writers.

Author Biography

David E. Sumner, Ph.D. is professor of journalism and head of the magazine program at Ball State University, Muncie, IN. He teaches courses on introductory magazine writing, advanced magazine writing, and magazine editing, and advises the student magazine Expo. Within the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Dr. Sumner has held numerous offices in its 150-member Magazine Division including chair, research chair, and webmaster.

Holly G. Miller holds degrees in journalism from Indiana University and Ball State University. She is “professional in residence” at Anderson University and has taught at Ball State University, Indiana University and Purdue University at Indianapolis, and at numerous writers’ workshops from Mount Hermon, California, to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Ms Miller is Senior Editor of The Saturday Evening Post, is the author of 13 books and more than 2,000 published magazine articles. Her byline has appeared in such diverse publications as TV Guide, Country Gentleman, Today's Christian Woman, Indianapolis Monthly, Clarity, Reader's Digest, Writer's Digest, The Writer, etc. She has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Associated Press, Midwest Travel Writers, Society of American Travel Writers, Evangelical Press Association, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of America and General Motors Corp. She has served as managing editor of a daily newspaper, contributing editor to Today's Christian Woman and consulting editor to Clarity.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Reading, Writing and Relevance	vii
Part I Preparing to Write Feature Articles
Chapter 1 Capturing Reader Attention	3	(10)
Chapter 2 The Hunt for Fresh Ideas	13	(18)
Chapter 3 Strong Angles and Focused Ideas	31	(10)
Chapter 4 Creative Research and Reporting	41	(20)
Chapter 5 Interviews: Moving Past the Predictable	61	(16)
Part II Writing Feature Articles
Chapter 6 Action-Packed Writing	77	(12)
Chapter 7 Strong Beginnings, Satisfying Endings	89	(14)
Chapter 8 Anecdotes: The Color of Writing	103	(12)
Chapter 9 The Structure of Writing	115	(12)
Chapter 10 The Art and Style of Writing	127	(12)
Part III Creating Different Types of Feature Articles
Chapter 11 The Wide, Wide World of Shorts	139	(12)
Chapter 12 Picture This: The Profile Article	151	(12)
Chapter 13 Real-Life Dramas and Stories	163	(22)
Chapter 14 How to Write How-to Articles	185	(10)
Chapter 15 The Calendar-Content Connection	195	(12)
Chapter 16 Trends, Conflicts and Controversies	207	(14)
Chapter 17 Writing to Inspire	221	(12)
Chapter 18 Writing for the Business-to-Business Media	233	(12)
Chapter 19 Writing for the Internet	245	(12)
Part IV Selling Feature Articles
Chapter 20 Marketing Your Words	257	(14)
Chapter 21 Writing Creative Query Letters	271	(14)
Chapter 22 Copyrights and Wrongs	285	(14)
Appendix: Back to Basics	299	(10)
Index	309