Uncovering the Secrets of Magazine Writing A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction for Print and Internet Publication

by Hamilton, Nancy M.

• ISBN13: 9780205376315
• ISBN10: 0205376312
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-11
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

With a hands-on approach emphasizes writing to and understanding specific audiences, this text leads students step-by-step through the process of writing for magazines.Uncovering the Secrets of Magazine Writingdiscusses the entire writing process from brainstorming an idea to turning it into a saleable article. Examples from published articles illustrate writing techniques, and end-of-chapter exercises give students opportunities for practical experience. The professional, real-world approach is reinforced by interviews and anecdotes from experienced magazine writers and editors, including the author herself.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xiii
About the Author	p. xv
Introduction	p. 1
Magazines Under the Microscope	p. 6
Magazines Get Younger, too	p. 6
Accept the Challenge	p. 7
Some Make it, Some Don't	p. 8
How to Play the Game	p. 9
Verticals and Horizontals	p. 9
All Professions Covered	p. 10
Don't Forget the Corporates	p. 12
Helpful Exercise	p. 12
The Family Tree	p. 14
Place the Reader Stage Center	p. 14
Can Readers Trust You?	p. 15
Get to a Magazine's Soul	p. 15
Now Compare	p. 18
Check Out Editorial Calendars	p. 19
Analyze Content	p. 19
Examine Readership	p. 20
Ads Tell a Lot	p. 20
The Picture Emerges	p. 22
Examine Editorial	p. 22
Helpful Exercises	p. 23
What If ...?	p. 36
Look Locally	p. 36
Find Links	p. 37
News Briefs Are Essential	p. 37
Don't Overlook Pr and Associations	p. 38
Avoid Being A Couch Potato	p. 39
Check Out Your Family Tree	p. 39
Stories Found Everywhere	p. 40
Stay Organized	p. 41
Look for Focus	p. 41
"Cartoons, Sure, But What's it About?"	p. 41
Localize, Humanize, Make it Specific	p. 42
Slanting to Uncle Fred	p. 42
Consult Magazines, Reader's Guide	p. 43
Phrase Your Storyline	p. 43
Helpful Exercises	p. 45
Get Joe!	p. 47
"Commercial Fishery for Sharks Recommended"	p. 47
Simple Guidelines for Researching, Interviewing, Writing	p. 55
The Interview	p. 58
Writer Says E-mail, Internet Research, Crucial	p. 61
Sink or Swim	p. 62
Would They Cooperate?	p. 62
Attribute, Verify, Quote Accurately	p. 75
More Interviewing Tips	p. 76
Did You Participate?	p. 77
Helpful Exercises	p. 78
"I Did It; So Can You"	p. 79
Another View of Sidebars	p. 80
Formula Approach?	p. 80
Articles That Dominate the Field	p. 81
Personality Profile	p. 81
How-To	p. 82
Survey or Informative Article	p. 83
Alarmer-Expose	p. 83
Narrative	p. 84
Personal Essay	p. 89
Service Article	p. 95
Business Magazines Have Specialized Requirements	p. 96
Writing for the Internet	p. 97
Helpful Exercises	p. 98
The Road Test	p. 99
Shudder Factor	p. 99
Questions and Answers	p. 104
Helpful Exercise	p. 106
Growing the Story	p. 107
The Outline	p. 108
The Hardest Part	p. 109
Link Your Paragraphs	p. 110
Transitions by any Other Name	p. 111
Helpful Exercises	p. 112
Branching Out	p. 114
A Lead That Didn't Match	p. 114
Types of Leads	p. 115
Anecdotes Go Anywhere	p. 117
Your Mental Paintbrush	p. 118
Versatile Case Histories	p. 118
Dole and Others	p. 120
Hook the Reader at the Top	p. 121
Prose-Poetry Lead and Other Examples	p. 122
Options for Ending the Article	p. 124
Helpful Exercises	p. 127
Step by Step	p. 129
The How-to Story	p. 129
Illustrations May Be Needed	p. 130
Leads Vary	p. 132
Sources Can Help	p. 133
A Classic Example	p. 135
Understanding Process First	p. 139
Use Specific Imagery	p. 141
Helpful Exercises	p. 142
From the Inside Out	p. 144
Which Detail to Use?	p. 145
Descriptive Techniques	p. 145
Warning Signal	p. 149
Location or no Location?	p. 150
The People's Story	p. 150
When People Talk	p. 151
"Tiger of the Province"	p. 153
Secrets of Dialogue	p. 157
Painting the Character Round	p. 159
Structuring the Profile	p. 164
Formula Profiles	p. 164
Helpful Exercise	p. 165
Moment of Truth	p. 166
Building A Chronology	p. 168
Inspiration	p. 169
Humor and Essays	p. 171
Narrative-Descriptives	p. 172
Helpful Exercise	p. 174
Moving Forward	p. 175
Pacing and Sound	p. 177
Cadence	p. 179
Be Cautious With Tone	p. 180
Punctuation Marks Help	p. 180
Developing Your Own Style	p. 181
Helpful Exercise	p. 182
Secrets that Sell	p. 183
Instant Winners	p. 185
Helpful Exercise	p. 187
The Write Stuff	p. 188
Setting The Standard	p. 190
Pilfered Pronouns	p. 191
Other Tips	p. 192
Wordiness	p. 192
Word Waste	p. 193
Readers Get Confused	p. 194
Flesch and Others	p. 195
Helpful Exercises	p. 195
What To Do with What You Have	p. 198
Writing the Article	p. 208
Writing the Sidebar	p. 208
But Sometimes the Material is Overwhelming	p. 211
The Five Rs	p. 213
Prune for Success	p. 213
Symbols	p. 215
Nil Desperandum	p. 217
Professional Appearance	p. 217
Submitting the Manuscript	p. 218
Rights and Rates	p. 219
But is it Ethical?	p. 221
Your Responsibility: Are you Ethical?	p. 222
Helpful Exercises	p. 224
Additional Resources	p. 225
Companion Reading: A Personal Bibliography	p. 225
Red Flags for Unwary Writers: The Rights Game	p. 227
Copyright Registration: Where and How to Register Your Articles	p. 229
Index	p. 233
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.