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The Writer’s Art. Chapter 7. Reporting and Writing. Relevant factual material from personal observation and physical sources. Gather details and specifics. Authoritative and knowledgeable human sources for additional information. Significant and complete background information.
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The Writer’s Art Chapter 7
Reporting and Writing • Relevant factual material from personal observation and physical sources. Gather details and specifics. • Authoritative and knowledgeable human sources for additional information. • Significant and complete background information. • Simple language • Incidents, examples and quotes that document the lead • Human interest • Appropriate style
Accuracy • Avoid vague terms, euphemisms and jargon. • Sketchy • Optimistic • Progress • Freedom • Big Business • Liberal • Conservative • Define specialist terms • Avoid inside speak
When in doubt, use said. • ‘Put it down!’ she shouted.‘Give it back,’ he pleaded, ‘it’s mine.’‘Don’t be such a fool, Jekyll,’ Utterson said. • In these sentences, shouted, pleaded, and said are verbs of dialogue attribution. Now look at these dubious revisions: • ‘Put it down! she shouted menacingly.‘Give it back,’ he pleaded abjectly, ‘it’s mine.’‘Don’t be such a fool, Jekyll,’ Utterson said contemptuously. • The three latter sentences are all weaker than the three former ones, and most readers will see why immediately.
Spell Check is limited • Homophones are one example
Sentence Length • Balance short and long sentences for effect • Try for one idea per sentence • Banish the semicolon
Transitions • Pronouns • Key Words and Ideas • Transitional Expressions - Additives - Contrasts - Comparisons - Place - Time • Parallel Structure
Other Tips • Style and pace should match content • Story should flow in logical order • Verbs should outnumber adjectives • Adverbs should be used sparingly, if at all