Tips for improving your writing

You now should be comfortable with posting text on your news blog. The text, of course, is a fundamental component of any blog post, no matter its length.

As discussed previously in class, here are a few tips for quickly improving your writing:

·      Identify students by their major and classification. For example, Jane Dough, journalism freshman.

·      Always attribute quotes after the first sentence. For example, “It is a beautiful day,” said Jane Dough, journalism freshman. “I plan to spend the entire day outside soaking up the amazing sun.” If you need additional help with forming quotes, there is a handout in the news guide I distributed in class. The guide also is linked on D2L.

·      Remember that, in news, each quote is a new paragraph.

·      Create transitions between individual sources.

·      Remove yourself from your writing. Remember that you are writing news, not commentary.

·      Provide addresses for businesses.

·      Only use “said.” It’s acceptable to use it many times in every story.

·      Write in time, date, place order. For example, the event is at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

·      Don’t use “believe.” Sources believe in church; they “think” everywhere else. However, you don’t know what they think unless you can read their minds. Instead, just use “said” or “said he thinks” if necessary.

·      Have an official (living, breathing) source for each story. Websites are supplements, not expert sources.

·      Use OU sources. All stories should relate back to students and campus.

·      Don’t ask questions, answer them. If you’re tempted to pose a question, write a paraphrase from a source instead.