Download
1 / 34
360 likes | 552 Vues
Writing Rules. How to write like it’s your job. Rule 1. ALWAYS write in past tense. While you write, think of how in six months someone will be reading that. WHICH IS RIGHT?. He is eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A. He ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. B. Rule 2.
E N D
Writing Rules How to write like it’s your job
Rule 1 ALWAYS write in past tense
While you write, think of how in six months someone will be reading that.
WHICH IS RIGHT? He is eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A He ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. B
Rule 2 Never say “I” or “we” unless it’s in a quote
HOW WOULD THIS GREAT OPINION EVER GET PUT INTO A STORY? As is reflected during our football games, it is eminent that we have a lot of school spirit.
SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO SAY IT. When you’re writing about OTHER PEOPLE, no one cares about your opinion.
Rule 3 Don’t write your stories with bias and opinion.
If you’re on the Senior Powderpuff team and you have to write the Powderpuff story even after you lose to the juniors, don’t personally complain via your story. Let someone else complain, and THEN AND ONLY THEN can it be put into the story as a quote.
Rule 4 SAID PERSONPERSON SAID
FIRST REFERENCE: “Prom was a night to remember,” said senior Billy Idol. Okay, so what would you do if his second quote was “It was the perfect way to end high school”?
SECOND REFERENCE “It was the perfect way to end high school,” Idol said.
Rule 5 The 5 CsMake copy: ClearCorrectConciseComprehensibleConsistent
How is copy Clear? You never need to try to be mysterious. If you’re trying to say something or make something obvious, go for it. Avoid crop circle writing. Crop circle (WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!)
How is copy Correct? Don’t make things up in your story. If you are unsure of a date, name, game score or any other type of fact, find out the truth.
How is copy Concise? The word concise can be defined as “expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope” (dictionary.com) While it would be nice to write the entire story about the basketball team on one person, be sure to include everything that’s in your umbrella.
How is copy Comprehensible? There are two parts to this: • Before you submit a story to be edited, sit down in front of it on the computer and read it over in your head or even out loud. If it doesn’t make sense or one sentence is super long, edit. • Avoid getting too wordy or formal. You are a journalism student, not Marcus Tullio Cicero or Shakespeare. They’re both dead.
How is copy Consistent? Just like your book has a theme, your copy does as well. Prior to beginning writing, find your angle and stick with it. If you’re writing about how athletes keep in shape, don’t interview the people in the main office about how the lunch menu on the announcements was brought back by popular demand.
Rule 6 Use slang only if it’s universal.
What is universal slang? Cribs, cram, fix up (as in a date)… If your parents wouldn’t know what it was, JUST DON’T USE IT.
WHICH IS RIGHT? On da field trip, it was just like “I’m on a Boat” cuz those shawties were wearin’ flippie-floppies and it ain’t Seaworld cuz that was as real as it gets, yo. PAYEECE On a day similar to that described in T-Pain and the Lonely Island’s song “I’m on a Boat”, the students of Mr. Rummel’s sixth period class walked the boardwalk wearing flip flops, and according to senior Santana Moss, like the song, “It wasn’t like Seaworld because it was as real as it could be.”
Rule 7 DON’T WRITE YOUR STORY DIRECTLY ON THE SPREAD.
WHY NOT? If you write your story directly on the spread, you won’t see that your spelling is wrong because on word, you can see the little red squiggly lines.
Rule 8 Have a catchy opening to hook the reader.
Colorful images appeared onto the screen. Seated among a group of her friends in history teacher Tor Strom’s classroom, senior Alice Davis watched Japanese animation movies as part of Anime Club. There were multiple courses in which students could enroll and have the chance to use equipment to enhance their learning experience. Rummaging through leftover costumes at a local store, junior James Pacheco was beginning to feel hopeless as he prepared for a Halloween party.
Seriously guys: You don’t have to be an awesome writer, but it makes all of us look like doo doo when a story is atrocious. If you wouldn’t submit it for your English class, we don’t want to see it.
Rule 9 Put some sort of transition between quotes.
EXAMPLE “Everyone got a break when the food came. It kept a lot of people from being too overwhelmed,” said senior Ario Fazli. For others, the food served as a distraction. “When the food came, everyone stopped to eat. This meant that we had to stay longer,” Fazli said.
OH NO, WHAT DO WE DO? If your quotes are: “I had a never ending supply of homework to do all of the time,” said junior Michael Jefferson. “While all of my friends were off doing homework and stressing, I got to sit at home and play video games,” said junior Stan Marsh.
Rule 10 Keep Lil’ Jon out of your stories.
Simple concept: Sometimes when you ask people questions, they answer with a “yeah”, a “no”, or they might start a story with “Okay” or “so”. Don’t put that part of the quote in the story. Also avoid many
Rule 11 If you have a question or need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it.
If you choose not to seek help When you finish writing a story, you print it out and give it to the Copy Editor. He/she edits it, and then you meet for a few minutes so he/she can explain to you what you did wrong SO YOU DON’T DO IT EVER AGAIN.
