TIME OUT: Pimp My Writing

"Ninety percent of being a journalist is showing up."
- Mitch Gelman, Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, CNN.com

Here are a few of the topics from my presentation "Pimp My Writing" at The Campus Ledger's spring orientation.

The session covered:

• Can I ax you something? - Developing questions that are both word and hatchets
• Journalistic Bling - Style and Voice vs a hot mess
• That's tight -- literally - Writing tight and with a focus

I'll add a few notes from the discussion and the Q&A.

Below are some of the web links I mentioned in the presentation.

Websites:

• Ask the AP Style Editor
• Edit Teach
• News College
• Poynter
• News U
• No Train, No Gain

Handouts:

• Make Every Word Count
• Helping Reporters Improve Stories
• Covering Meetings
• Ten Tips for Better Cutlines
• Writing Must-Read Columns

Freedom of Information:

• Student Press Law Center letter generator
• JCCC Open Records policies