Poynter. » Writing tips and techniques

What writers see in life, language and literature

Roy Peter Clark — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:20:07 +0000

At the end of this essay, I will be asking for your help in writing a proposal for a new book: “What Writers See: In Life, Language, and Literature.”

What do I mean when I ask the question “What do … Read more

How some narratives can benefit from more translucence, less transparency

Roy Peter Clark — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:35:36 +0000

Transparency, transparency, transparency. Say it loud and there’s music playing. Say it soft and it’s almost like praying.

Transparency is the new pillar of responsible practice, inside and outside of journalism — including at Poynter. When it comes to reporting … Read more

How to include narrative elements in a hard news story

Mallary Jean Tenore — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:28:55 +0000

During this week’s writing chat, we talked with Boston Globe reporter Eric Moskowitz about his story that describes the experience of a young man who was carjacked by the Boston bombing suspects.

Poynter’s Roy Peter Clark praised Moskowitz earlier this … Read more

Boston Globe reporter shows how news writing can unfold ‘like a story in a book’

Roy Peter Clark — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:51:30 +0000

A story from the Boston Globe has been getting a lot of buzz, and rightly so. It was written by Eric Moskowitz, and describes the harrowing experience of a young Chinese man carjacked by the two Boston Marathon bombers. … Read more

From ancient Greece to modern Boston, how stories help us survive

Roy Peter Clark — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:46:40 +0000

The events of recent days — from the bombing of the Boston marathon to the explosion of the fertilizer plant in Texas — should remind us of the power of stories. In a daily sense and over the course of … Read more

5 ways that social media benefits writing and language

Mallary Jean Tenore — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:20:33 +0000

It’s easy to assume that new forms of technology have dumbed down the English language. Text messaging has reduced phrases to letters (CU L8r) and tweets have so many abbreviations and hashtags they’re barely legible.

Less obvious, though, are … Read more

Tips for improving your writing on National Grammar Day

Roy Peter Clark — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:07:02 +0000

Today is National Grammar Day, a special holiday for someone — namely me — who has written a book titled “The Glamour of Grammar.”

That title still puzzles some people who think of grammar as a creaky old … Read more

How reporters can become better self editors

Meena Thiruvengadam — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:55:48 +0000

The accelerated pace of journalism means many reporters have to write, edit and quickly publish their work online, sometimes without the benefit of an extra set of eyes.

Given this reality — and the fact that there are fewer copy … Read more

How to solve your most difficult writing problems

Roy Peter Clark — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:56:37 +0000

Every writer faces problems. In the most recent I’ll help you figure out solutions.

Much of the advice I’ll give will derive from my book, “Help! For Writers: 210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces,” which just … Read more

How writers can collect and organize string for stories

Laura Shin — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:39:51 +0000

As a journalist, taking good notes is crucial to keeping your facts straight. But most writers do this simply for the purposes of the story at hand and then move on once it’s published.

Few consider this fact: Fleeting … Read more