As a reminder, please remember we'll be meeting in conference from Thursday, Dec. 1 until Finals Week. If you have not signed up for conferences, please do so. The sign-up sheet will be on my office door. During your conference, we'll discuss your final immersion piece and go over any questions you have about your portfolios. Please bring copies of any work you'd like to discuss. Please use your time out of conference to work on your immersion projects. Your project should include evidence of extensive research, hands-on reportage, and understanding of the basics of magazine writing (including angle, focus, voice). Please be sure to target one particular publication as a possible home for your piece, and write for that specific audience. Grammar counts, of course, as does basic AP Style. The length of your piece should be between 1000 and 2000 words.
************
Your final portfolios are due in my office by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15. There will be a drop-box outside my office door. If you'd prefer to send an e-copy, please compile your portfolio into one single document, save as a PDF, and send to both loj@pitt.edu and lljakiela@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Here again is the checklist:
* Your portfolio should include a total of 11 pieces (including revisions), plus one query letter. Your portfolio will be graded based on completeness, quality of work, evidence of effort in revision, and mastery of magazine-writing basics per our texts, readings and lectures.
Pieces to include:
1. How-To Piece + Revision
2. Fashion Week Tie-In Piece (News Link) + Revision
3. The Profile Piece + Revision
4. Q&A Piece + Revision
5. Trazzler Travel Piece (from in-class assignment)
6. One query letter targeted to magazine/editor for your immersion piece (we'll review how to do this in conference)
7. Final Immersion Piece (1000-2000 word; multi-sourced; first-person reportage)
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
NY Times' Tips for Crafting Great Interviews
General tips include these:
Research. Read and obtain background information about the subject, source or topic at hand before interviewing so that you can ask informed questions.
Ask simple questions. Keep your questions short, to the point and focused. Otherwise you risk distracting or confusing your subject, or allowing him or her to answer only part of a complex question. Break down complicated questions into shorter, simpler questions.
Limit closed-ended questions; use mostly open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions are yes-or-no questions or those that invite very basic, one-word answers. Open-ended questions often begin with “Why?” and “How?” or phrases such as “Tell me about … ” or “How does that make you feel?” They invite longer, more insightful responses.
Ask follow-up questions. An inexperienced interviewer asks a question, notes the response then moves on to the next question. Don’t stick to the script — listen to the answers and probe further before moving on to your prepared questions. Often it is during a follow-up question that the right quote falls into your lap. “Following up” can also involve a non-question, like a sympathetic response or a gesture of surprise or admiration.
Take notes. While having an audio recorder is helpful, always keep a notebook handy and use it to jot down quotes, statistics or facts that strike you. You might also want to write down physical details about your environment and your subject’s appearance, facial expressions and voice. But be sure to look up from your notebook and maintain eye contact.
Be conversational without having a conversation. Keep the interview informal and casual, not overly scripted, and go with the flow, allowing your subject to switch directions –- as long as you remain in control of the interview and are prepared to steer it back to your topic as needed.
Research. Read and obtain background information about the subject, source or topic at hand before interviewing so that you can ask informed questions.
Ask simple questions. Keep your questions short, to the point and focused. Otherwise you risk distracting or confusing your subject, or allowing him or her to answer only part of a complex question. Break down complicated questions into shorter, simpler questions.
Limit closed-ended questions; use mostly open-ended questions. Closed-ended questions are yes-or-no questions or those that invite very basic, one-word answers. Open-ended questions often begin with “Why?” and “How?” or phrases such as “Tell me about … ” or “How does that make you feel?” They invite longer, more insightful responses.
Ask follow-up questions. An inexperienced interviewer asks a question, notes the response then moves on to the next question. Don’t stick to the script — listen to the answers and probe further before moving on to your prepared questions. Often it is during a follow-up question that the right quote falls into your lap. “Following up” can also involve a non-question, like a sympathetic response or a gesture of surprise or admiration.
Take notes. While having an audio recorder is helpful, always keep a notebook handy and use it to jot down quotes, statistics or facts that strike you. You might also want to write down physical details about your environment and your subject’s appearance, facial expressions and voice. But be sure to look up from your notebook and maintain eye contact.
Be conversational without having a conversation. Keep the interview informal and casual, not overly scripted, and go with the flow, allowing your subject to switch directions –- as long as you remain in control of the interview and are prepared to steer it back to your topic as needed.
Charlie Rose Interviews Jann Wenner
A conversation about the magazine's 40th anniversary. Watch here. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Assignment Schedule: Tuesday, Nov. 1, Thursday, Nov. 3
Today in class we'll wrap any final discussions/workshop of profile pieces. Then we'll move on to discuss the Rolling Stone interviews. I'll start with an analysis of the Andy Warhol/Truman Capote interview, focusing on the interplay of personalities and the position of the reporter in the story. Then each of you will begin discussing your assigned interview. We'll continue discussions on Thursday.
We'll also review your ideas for Q&A subjects. Please begin working on your Q&As. Drafts will be due next Tuesday, Nov. 8. Bring copies for workshop.
We'll also review your ideas for Q&A subjects. Please begin working on your Q&As. Drafts will be due next Tuesday, Nov. 8. Bring copies for workshop.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Additional Profile Writing Tips
Mary Yerkes, a writer for Suite 101, has these additional tips for great profile writing:
Tell a Good Story
Profiles require excellent storytelling skills. Follow such fiction techniques as establishing setting, creating visual images in the reader's mind, and including revealing dialogue (quotes) to move your story forward. When interviewing your subject, jot down details about the environment, his or her dress, mood, and facial expressions. Include details in your article that evoke the reader's five senses. Help readers to see, hear, smell, and feel the story as if they were in the room with you and the subject.
Conduct Thorough Interviews
Interviews are the backbone of well-written profiles. In-person interviews, instead of phone meetings, are critical to writing a compelling personality profile. To get the full story, interview not only the subject, but also his friends, family, professional colleagues, and, if appropriate, his critics. Conflict lies at the heart of all good storytelling, so ask questions that reveal areas of struggle. For example:
• Your early years were hard. How did you overcome the obstacles you faced?
• What is your greatest struggle?
• Your critics say. . . . How do you respond?
• You've just won. . . . What do you see as your next big challenge?
• Any regrets?
• To conclude the interview, ask, "Is there anything else you would like to add?"
Use Direct Quotes
Direct quotes breathe life into a personality profile, so always keep a recorder, notebook, and pen handy. They may never be modified, changed, or used out of context to make a point, and to do so constitutes unethical behavior. Instead, use direct quotes judiciously to authenticate your points and to give readers insight into the qualities and attitudes of the subject.
Use the Flashback Technique
Personality profiles, more than any other type of magazine article, use the flashback technique. They present many pitfalls, but when used correctly, they can provide an emotional element to a well-written profile that is hard to match.
To start, grab the reader's interest with an interesting anecdote, a moving scene, or a quote that occurred in the past that hooks readers at the outset. Then, go back to the beginning and tell your story, focusing particularly on scenes that capture the essence of your subject.
Look for Contrasts
People's lives are chock full of incongruities. Listen for contrasts during the interview process, and then use them to grab the reader's imagination. For example, Arthritis Today ran a profile on Tina Wesson of Survivor fame who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, a disease characterized by pain, inflammation, and limited mobility. How did a woman with limited mobility end up on a show like Survivor? More important, how did she win Survivor: The Australian Outback without receiving one vote against her?
Tell a Good Story
Profiles require excellent storytelling skills. Follow such fiction techniques as establishing setting, creating visual images in the reader's mind, and including revealing dialogue (quotes) to move your story forward. When interviewing your subject, jot down details about the environment, his or her dress, mood, and facial expressions. Include details in your article that evoke the reader's five senses. Help readers to see, hear, smell, and feel the story as if they were in the room with you and the subject.
Conduct Thorough Interviews
Interviews are the backbone of well-written profiles. In-person interviews, instead of phone meetings, are critical to writing a compelling personality profile. To get the full story, interview not only the subject, but also his friends, family, professional colleagues, and, if appropriate, his critics. Conflict lies at the heart of all good storytelling, so ask questions that reveal areas of struggle. For example:
• Your early years were hard. How did you overcome the obstacles you faced?
• What is your greatest struggle?
• Your critics say. . . . How do you respond?
• You've just won. . . . What do you see as your next big challenge?
• Any regrets?
• To conclude the interview, ask, "Is there anything else you would like to add?"
Use Direct Quotes
Direct quotes breathe life into a personality profile, so always keep a recorder, notebook, and pen handy. They may never be modified, changed, or used out of context to make a point, and to do so constitutes unethical behavior. Instead, use direct quotes judiciously to authenticate your points and to give readers insight into the qualities and attitudes of the subject.
Use the Flashback Technique
Personality profiles, more than any other type of magazine article, use the flashback technique. They present many pitfalls, but when used correctly, they can provide an emotional element to a well-written profile that is hard to match.
To start, grab the reader's interest with an interesting anecdote, a moving scene, or a quote that occurred in the past that hooks readers at the outset. Then, go back to the beginning and tell your story, focusing particularly on scenes that capture the essence of your subject.
Look for Contrasts
People's lives are chock full of incongruities. Listen for contrasts during the interview process, and then use them to grab the reader's imagination. For example, Arthritis Today ran a profile on Tina Wesson of Survivor fame who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, a disease characterized by pain, inflammation, and limited mobility. How did a woman with limited mobility end up on a show like Survivor? More important, how did she win Survivor: The Australian Outback without receiving one vote against her?
Your Next Assignment: The Profile Piece (Due Tuesday, Oct. 18)
Profile Pieces/Field Work
Guidelines
1. Backgrounding
Use a variety of sources to find out as much as possible about your subject, preferably before you do the interview. Useful sources vary according to subject, but some possibilities include Internet research (Google, etc.) on both your subject and his/her area of expertise, media sources (newspaper articles, newsletters, etc.), resumes/curriculum vita (may be available from your source prior to your interview), work samples, talking with people who are close to your subject, talking to professionals in your subject’s field, and more.
2. The Interview
Remember to map out key questions in advance. Write your questions down, then read through them. How can you shape your questions to avoid yes/no answers? Are any of your questions obviously biased? If so, how can you make them more open? Do any of your questions lead your source to tell you something you already know? If so, how can you shape questions that might give more surprising answers? Also remember that even though mapping out questions in advance is important, the best interview is still a conversation. During the interview, don’t be afraid to stray from your original questions. Listen to what your source is saying. Be open to letting your story develop out of the interview.
Think about the logistics of the interview, too. Will you tape as well as take notes? Where will you conduct the interview and why? Try to do your interviews in person, preferably in a location that is meaningful to your subject. If you must do an e-mail interview, follow up with a phone call and/or an in-person meeting. Remember that unless you’re interviewing a writer, an e-mail interview is likely to lack human spark. Take notes during your phone/in-person follow up and see if you can get better quotes/information that way.
3. Color/Luminous Details
Description is important. Try to use all senses when you observe your subject and your surroundings. Look for small details that offer insight into the personality/character of your subject. Don’t just rely on visual detail. Sound, smell, touch, and taste can be important, too. For instance, if you’re interviewing a sushi chef, the sound of a knife on a cutting board, the smell of fish, the feel of a rough pair of chopsticks in your hand, the kick of wasabi on your tongue … all of these can be part of your story. Observe your subject. What does he/she look like, move like, sound like? What does his/her clothing say about who he/she is? What do you notice about your subject’s hands? Your subject’s eyes? What does the interview space look like? What does it smell like? Sound like? What small luminous things can you notice there? Recreate all of this on the page. Your job is to make your readers feel as if they’re in the room with you. The only way to do this is through vivid, precise description.
4. News Peg
Why is your subject newsworthy now? What is he/she doing now? Why should your readers care about this person now? Be sure you can answer all of these questions, and be sure the answers are clear to your readers very early in your piece.
5. Secondary Sources
Your profile piece should include at least one other source (other than your subject, that is). Who your secondary source will be varies from subject to subject. Just make sure your source is relevant and credible. Be sure the source provides meaningful insights and deepens your story.
6. Follow Basic AP and News Style
Get the 5 Ws/1H. Use your Stylebook if you’re not sure about what to do with things like titles, dates, numbers, locations, etc. Whenever you’re in doubt, open your Stylebook. The answers are there. Also, don’t forget the importance of all-around precision. Grammar counts. Spelling counts.
7. Write a Piece You’d Want to Read
If you’re bored with your piece, your reader will be bored, too. No subject is boring. Not one. If you’re bored, assume it’s your fault, not your source’s/subject’s fault. Be sure your questions are engaging, that you choose the best quotes, and that you are – truly – fascinated by your subject. Curiosity is the hallmark of a good journalist. Be curious. Be attentive.
Also, consider your audience. Most of you will be writing for a college-aged audience. If you’re writing for The Insider, for example, who are your readers? What are they most interested in? What should you highlight? What tone should you take? Write with a specific reader in mind. Write to be read.
Profile Pieces:
Length: Between 900-1000 words
Due: Tuesday, Oct. 18
Guidelines
1. Backgrounding
Use a variety of sources to find out as much as possible about your subject, preferably before you do the interview. Useful sources vary according to subject, but some possibilities include Internet research (Google, etc.) on both your subject and his/her area of expertise, media sources (newspaper articles, newsletters, etc.), resumes/curriculum vita (may be available from your source prior to your interview), work samples, talking with people who are close to your subject, talking to professionals in your subject’s field, and more.
2. The Interview
Remember to map out key questions in advance. Write your questions down, then read through them. How can you shape your questions to avoid yes/no answers? Are any of your questions obviously biased? If so, how can you make them more open? Do any of your questions lead your source to tell you something you already know? If so, how can you shape questions that might give more surprising answers? Also remember that even though mapping out questions in advance is important, the best interview is still a conversation. During the interview, don’t be afraid to stray from your original questions. Listen to what your source is saying. Be open to letting your story develop out of the interview.
Think about the logistics of the interview, too. Will you tape as well as take notes? Where will you conduct the interview and why? Try to do your interviews in person, preferably in a location that is meaningful to your subject. If you must do an e-mail interview, follow up with a phone call and/or an in-person meeting. Remember that unless you’re interviewing a writer, an e-mail interview is likely to lack human spark. Take notes during your phone/in-person follow up and see if you can get better quotes/information that way.
3. Color/Luminous Details
Description is important. Try to use all senses when you observe your subject and your surroundings. Look for small details that offer insight into the personality/character of your subject. Don’t just rely on visual detail. Sound, smell, touch, and taste can be important, too. For instance, if you’re interviewing a sushi chef, the sound of a knife on a cutting board, the smell of fish, the feel of a rough pair of chopsticks in your hand, the kick of wasabi on your tongue … all of these can be part of your story. Observe your subject. What does he/she look like, move like, sound like? What does his/her clothing say about who he/she is? What do you notice about your subject’s hands? Your subject’s eyes? What does the interview space look like? What does it smell like? Sound like? What small luminous things can you notice there? Recreate all of this on the page. Your job is to make your readers feel as if they’re in the room with you. The only way to do this is through vivid, precise description.
4. News Peg
Why is your subject newsworthy now? What is he/she doing now? Why should your readers care about this person now? Be sure you can answer all of these questions, and be sure the answers are clear to your readers very early in your piece.
5. Secondary Sources
Your profile piece should include at least one other source (other than your subject, that is). Who your secondary source will be varies from subject to subject. Just make sure your source is relevant and credible. Be sure the source provides meaningful insights and deepens your story.
6. Follow Basic AP and News Style
Get the 5 Ws/1H. Use your Stylebook if you’re not sure about what to do with things like titles, dates, numbers, locations, etc. Whenever you’re in doubt, open your Stylebook. The answers are there. Also, don’t forget the importance of all-around precision. Grammar counts. Spelling counts.
7. Write a Piece You’d Want to Read
If you’re bored with your piece, your reader will be bored, too. No subject is boring. Not one. If you’re bored, assume it’s your fault, not your source’s/subject’s fault. Be sure your questions are engaging, that you choose the best quotes, and that you are – truly – fascinated by your subject. Curiosity is the hallmark of a good journalist. Be curious. Be attentive.
Also, consider your audience. Most of you will be writing for a college-aged audience. If you’re writing for The Insider, for example, who are your readers? What are they most interested in? What should you highlight? What tone should you take? Write with a specific reader in mind. Write to be read.
Profile Pieces:
Length: Between 900-1000 words
Due: Tuesday, Oct. 18
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Class canceled Thursday, Sept. 29
I'm ill and have to cancel our class tomorrow, Thursday, Sept.
29.
Please take the weekend off, or re-read Ross' "Portrait of Hemingway."
Your exam on the book will be on Tuesday instead.
29.
Please take the weekend off, or re-read Ross' "Portrait of Hemingway."
Your exam on the book will be on Tuesday instead.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Examples of Immersion Journalism
Excerpt from A.J.Jacobs' The Year Of Living Biblically
Excerpt from Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed
An immersion in gluttony: Life in the Fat Lane
Lillian Ross/Portrait of Hemingway
Doug Heuck, I Am Homeless
Excerpt from Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed
An immersion in gluttony: Life in the Fat Lane
Lillian Ross/Portrait of Hemingway
Doug Heuck, I Am Homeless
Clarifying: What is Immersion Journalism?
Immersion requires that you choose a situation -- any situation to which you can gain reasonable access. Then you enter the situation and report from it, on it.
The situation could be anything, really -- a workplace, a public event, the life of a public or private figure (with permission, of course), an activity you've always been curious about but never tried.
Once you choose your situation, you immerse yourself in it and in the lives of the people/person involved. You'll use firsthand reportage to cover the story. You'll use research and backgrounding to put the story in context for both yourself and your readers. You'll use basic narrative techniques -- scene, dialogue, description, luminous detail -- to bring the experience alive for readers.
Immersion is a personal kind of reportage -- the I in the story is the I who's reporting the story. However, it's unlike Gonzo journalism in that it's not completely personality- or ego-driven. It is less focused on you, your life, your feelings and more focused on the experience itself.
Examples of popular recent immersion journalism include Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights.
The situation could be anything, really -- a workplace, a public event, the life of a public or private figure (with permission, of course), an activity you've always been curious about but never tried.
Once you choose your situation, you immerse yourself in it and in the lives of the people/person involved. You'll use firsthand reportage to cover the story. You'll use research and backgrounding to put the story in context for both yourself and your readers. You'll use basic narrative techniques -- scene, dialogue, description, luminous detail -- to bring the experience alive for readers.
Immersion is a personal kind of reportage -- the I in the story is the I who's reporting the story. However, it's unlike Gonzo journalism in that it's not completely personality- or ego-driven. It is less focused on you, your life, your feelings and more focused on the experience itself.
Examples of popular recent immersion journalism include Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Reminders about Immersion Pieces/Guidelines
Your proposals for your immersion pieces should be very specific, very thorough, very thought-out.
Remember: An immersion piece requires you to go into a new environment, observe and report from that place, and then write about the experience.
If you're not clear about this from discussions we've had in class, please review the Jacobi text, particularly the sections on information gathering and reportage. They're very helpful.
Don't try to reinvent the format -- simply pick a subject you're interested in, pick a place that will allow you to report on that subject, and pick something and someone (source) that will allow you a great deal of access.
Your final immersion piece will be somewhat similar to what Lillian Ross does with Hemingway. She followed him for a few days, then wrote about him. You'll do the same thing with the subject you identify.
Please look closely at Portrait of Hemingway and notice Ross' technique. Then think about what kind of subject you might choose that would allow for a similar kind of reportage. You won't necessarily end up writing an extended profile piece, but your method of reportage will be the same.
Your proposals should include the following things:
* The subject you'd like to immerse yourself in (literally immersing -- meaning you'll be present and reporting from a specific place on a specific topic)and why it might be of interest to your target audience
* The audience you envision for the piece (target audience/target magazine/s)
* The approach you'll take (hands-on, fly-on-the-wall, traditional reportage with interviews, etc.)
* The sources -- with names and contact information -- you'll use in the story. You should have at least two sources, but more is better. Not all of them need to end up in the piece, though. Some can provide background, context.
* Degree of access you'll have to your subject (permission for hands-on participation, permission to observe, permission for extended interviews, etc.)
Format your proposal by using the above requirements as subheads, then insert your specific information.
Remember: An immersion piece requires you to go into a new environment, observe and report from that place, and then write about the experience.
If you're not clear about this from discussions we've had in class, please review the Jacobi text, particularly the sections on information gathering and reportage. They're very helpful.
Don't try to reinvent the format -- simply pick a subject you're interested in, pick a place that will allow you to report on that subject, and pick something and someone (source) that will allow you a great deal of access.
Your final immersion piece will be somewhat similar to what Lillian Ross does with Hemingway. She followed him for a few days, then wrote about him. You'll do the same thing with the subject you identify.
Please look closely at Portrait of Hemingway and notice Ross' technique. Then think about what kind of subject you might choose that would allow for a similar kind of reportage. You won't necessarily end up writing an extended profile piece, but your method of reportage will be the same.
Your proposals should include the following things:
* The subject you'd like to immerse yourself in (literally immersing -- meaning you'll be present and reporting from a specific place on a specific topic)and why it might be of interest to your target audience
* The audience you envision for the piece (target audience/target magazine/s)
* The approach you'll take (hands-on, fly-on-the-wall, traditional reportage with interviews, etc.)
* The sources -- with names and contact information -- you'll use in the story. You should have at least two sources, but more is better. Not all of them need to end up in the piece, though. Some can provide background, context.
* Degree of access you'll have to your subject (permission for hands-on participation, permission to observe, permission for extended interviews, etc.)
Format your proposal by using the above requirements as subheads, then insert your specific information.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Hemingway: The Paris Review Interview
Before Rolling Stone became the center of masterful interviews, there was The Paris Review. And there was this interview with Ernest Hemingway.
Please read this as well as Ross' portrait. We'll compare and contrast next week before Thursday's quiz.
Please read this as well as Ross' portrait. We'll compare and contrast next week before Thursday's quiz.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Love, Loss and What I Wore
So fashion week was so last week.
Here's another fashion trend in pop culture you can connect with:
Love Loss and What I Wore, the play.
Here's another fashion trend in pop culture you can connect with:
Love Loss and What I Wore, the play.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Adjusted Schedule for the Week
Hi Everyone -- Since we're a day behind, we'll adjust the schedule this week (Sept. 20, Sept. 22) accordingly.
On Tuesday, Sept. 20: Workshop fashion-week pieces and discuss news-link tie-ins and ways to match your story ideas to current events/trends.
On Thursday, Sept. 22: Quiz on Jacobi Chapters 1-3. We'll review your proposals for your mini-immersion pieces. Time permitting, we'll also begin to discuss Portrait of Hemingway, as well as interviewing techniques and profile-writing. (Quiz on the book next Thursday.)
On Tuesday, Sept. 20: Workshop fashion-week pieces and discuss news-link tie-ins and ways to match your story ideas to current events/trends.
On Thursday, Sept. 22: Quiz on Jacobi Chapters 1-3. We'll review your proposals for your mini-immersion pieces. Time permitting, we'll also begin to discuss Portrait of Hemingway, as well as interviewing techniques and profile-writing. (Quiz on the book next Thursday.)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Assignments/Schedule: Week 3
Tuesday: Lecture on concepts from Chapter 3 in Jacobi -- Focus, Interest
Finish workshop of how-to pieces
Thursday: Quiz on readings/concepts (Jacobi chapters 1-3). Workshop fashion week pieces. Target magazines for possible publication.
Read: Portrait of Hemingway.
Write: A proposal for your mini-immersion piece. Bring copies to share in class next Tuesday.
Finish workshop of how-to pieces
Thursday: Quiz on readings/concepts (Jacobi chapters 1-3). Workshop fashion week pieces. Target magazines for possible publication.
Read: Portrait of Hemingway.
Write: A proposal for your mini-immersion piece. Bring copies to share in class next Tuesday.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Assignments for Week 2
Please be sure you're already up to date with assignments. Please post responses as assigned.
Read Chapters 3 & 4 in Jacobi.
Write: Fashion week tie-in piece/guidelines per Tuesday's in-class lecture.
Prepare for a concepts and readings quiz during Week 3/Thursday.
Read Chapters 3 & 4 in Jacobi.
Write: Fashion week tie-in piece/guidelines per Tuesday's in-class lecture.
Prepare for a concepts and readings quiz during Week 3/Thursday.
Friday, September 2, 2011
How to Prepare for Workshop on Tuesday
Please bring hard copies of your 500-word How-To pieces to share in workshop on Tuesday. 15 copies should do it. Also please bring an e-copy of your piece to class for editing work.
Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! (Anyone have a how-to piece on how to celebrate Labor Day?)
Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! (Anyone have a how-to piece on how to celebrate Labor Day?)
The Insider Wants You
The Insider, our online campus newspaper, is looking for photographers. Please e-mail Brian Estadt, the Insider advisor, at brianestadt@gmail.com if you're interested. The Insider can provide camera equipment and training, as needed.
There are openings for specialty writers of all kinds. If you'd be interested in writing a column, doing regular features on local culture, reviewing music and movies and more, please send Brian a note. Some of the pieces you'll do for our class will be a natural fit for The Insider, too.
Publishing your work in The Insider now is a great step toward building a portfolio that can help you get a job in journalism or public relations later on. It's also a great way to connect with other writers and the campus community.
Oh, and there are those 15 minutes of fame Andy Warhol always talked about.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
How to Write the How-To Piece
Step One: Choose a topic that’s timely and engaging (or quirky enough to entice readers). Be sure to have a target magazine/audience in mind and choose your topic accordingly. Consider things and subjects you’re passionate about.
Step Two: Choose an approach
You can:
1. Interview an expert
Oprah's Trainer Shows You How
Dr. Oz Makes TV-Watching Healthy
2. Be an expert
Take the step-by-step approach:
How to Make Earrings From Electrical Parts
Play on Seasonal/Timeliness:
How to Update Your Fall Wardrobe for Cheap
Research, conglomerate, and play up your voice:
How to Make Halloween Slime
[Most how-to pieces are bulleted, short, information-loaded. There are exceptions. Here’s an essay approach driven by prominence/celebrity expertise: The Dalai Lama on Compassion
3. Weave a combination of the two
Eat, Pray, Love Beauty Tips
Step Three: Draft your piece.
* Keep it short, but be sure to hit the most relevant/essential points.
* Unless you’re using an essay approach, bullet information when you can.
* Use short sentences. Short paragraphs.
* Be sure your lead’s engaging and conversational.
* Be sure your tone and voice match your target magazine/audience.
* Offer a sidebar that lists additional information/sources. Consider visuals.
Step Four: Revise! Pity the reader!
Step Five: Revise again! More pity!
Step Six: Workshop (then revise again! pity!)
Step Seven: Submit your piece for publication. Be sure to follow the submission guidelines.
Remember, most magazines have months of lead time (unless they’re online, of course). Plan accordingly.
Be sure you’re giving the editor something he/she can use. Ask yourself: is this piece right for this audience? Is it right now?
Technical Notes:
Use AP Style (When in doubt, consult your Stylebook)
Triple-check grammar, spelling, and facts
Choose your experts wisely and be honest about your own degree of expertise in any subject. Even if you’re sure you’re an expert, it’s always good to get other voices in the mix. Don’t slag. Don't be afraid to reach out and do interviews and legwork.
Experts Welcome
Everyone's an expert at something. Name three things you're expert at doing. Write a brief bio note outlining your expertise. Then, for each area of expertise, cite a magazine that might be interested in that subject. Provide the link to the magazine, if available. Post in the comments section below.
Add Your Magazines and Articles Links Here
Be sure to follow the blog. Then attach your magazine and article links (See syllabus, assignment 1) in the comments section below.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Welcome!
Welcome to Magazine 1!
Below you'll find our course syllabus, your first week's assignment sheet, and your instructor's bio.
Please register and follow this blog. Plan to check in regularly for assignment updates, useful links and information, and other course essentials. Some of your assignments will require you to post and respond to others' posts, so if you're not used to interacting on a blog, you soon will be.
Here's to a great semester!
*******
About the Course:
English Writing 1331/Magazine I
Fall 2010
Professor Jakiela
208 Faculty Office Building
724-836-7481
lljakiela@gmail.com
loj@pitt.edu
Office Hours: T/R Noon-1 p.m. and by appointment
Class Meets: T/R 136 McKenna 1-2:15 p.m.
Required Texts:
Peter Jacobi, The Magazine Article: How to Think It, Plan It, Write It
Lillian Ross, Portrait of Hemingway
The Associated Press Stylebook
The Rolling Stone Interviews (ed. Jann Wenner),Back Bay Books
Browse the magazine rack next time you drop by the Giant Eagle. Visit the magazine section at a Barnes & Noble near you. Scan the Web for zines. No matter your interest, you’ll find a magazine that’s a perfect fit.
Passionate about fine wine and felines? Try Gourmet and Cat Fancier. Are you a smart edgy woman with a tattoo and a passion for Chanel lipstick? Try Bust. In love with the literati? American Poetry Review or Poetry or that old standby, The New Yorker.
Like all things nonfiction? Try Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, and Brevity.
Do your friends call you Guy Politico? See Slate. Are you a people person? People.
Looking for the perfect shoes this season? In Style and Vogue, beautiful. Looking for the perfect tie to wear to the perfect martini bar? Esquire can help. Still have that life-sized poster of Vince Neil over your bed? Get your Metal Edge here.
In a wildly-changing journalism landscape, magazines and zines continue to offer one of the most diverse and sometimes lucrative venues for writers in the U.S. If you’re a writer who’d love to see your name on the cover of Rolling Stone, or at least in your local city alt-news mag, this is the course to help you get started.
By the end of the semester, you should be able to write well-crafted articles and essays for popular commercial, news, and/or literary magazines and online zines. Each article you write will be targeted to specific publications and will often be stylistically or thematically linked to our readings and handouts.
Our readings will give you a broad sense of what’s out there. We’ll cover personal essays and creative nonfiction, feature stories, profile pieces, q & a’s, how-to articles, reviews, and criticism. We’ll also take a look at various kinds of reporting (investigative, intimate, immersion, and so on) you’ll find in some of the best magazines on the market.
Since this is an upper-level course in non-fiction, I assume you’ve chosen to be here because you’re serious about your writing. That said, I’ll spend time this semester helping you to prepare your work for publication. You will learn how to write query letters, conduct market research, and make informed decisions about possible publishers/markets for your work. And I will encourage you to submit articles – once you’ve revised them – to magazines.
General course requirements include the following:
1. Come to class and participate in it. You may miss two classes without affecting your grade. After that, your grade will drop by one letter for each additional absence.
2. Come to class on time.
3. Meet deadlines. I will not accept late work. I will not accept work that is slipped under my office door. E-mailed assignments must come in under deadline. Assigned blog posts must also come in under deadline.
4. Please be professional when using e-mail. E-mailing me is not a substitute for class participation.
5. Read all assignments. Be prepared to answer questions about readings. If you are obviously not prepared for class, I may consider you absent. This will adversely affect your grade in this course.
6. Purchase and read (or subscribe online to) three monthly magazines to which you do not already subscribe. Be ready to write about and discuss what you learn from each magazine. Bring magazines or samples to class when needed.
7. Present a market analysis to the class.
8. Write one query letter.
9. Write at least four (may include: how-to, opinion/essay, q & a, profile) short articles and one long (6-10 pages) news/feature, interview-driven article. The long piece will be due at our last class meeting. It should be immersion-based. I’ll ask you to revise the shorter pieces as needed during the term. You’ll revise all pieces for your final portfolio. You may choose to expand one or several of your short articles into your final piece.
A Return to Intro to Journalism
Your writing should reflect your mastery of basic journalism. These include, but are not limited to, using sources and quotes effectively; writing with vivid, accurate details; handling facts with precision; maintaining AP style and following the journalists’ code of ethics; properly attributing information obtained through research; etc. Consult your Stylebook and a dictionary regularly to ensure accuracy.
An Ethical Reminder
Plagiarism is, of course, against the journalists’ code of ethics (“tell the truth and do no harm”). It’s also against UPG’s honor code. If you plagiarize, you will, at the very least, fail this class.
Assignments
I’ll give you an assignment sheet every week. Assignments will be adapted based on class proficiency and interests.
A Hint About That Long Piece
You should start to think about and research your long piece early in the term. Since there are no restrictions on subject – except that it must be fresh, marketable, and worthy of intense scrutiny and passion on your part – an early start shouldn’t be difficult.
Grading
Grades will be based on the quality and improvement of your writing and on class participation. There will be short quizzes, as needed, throughout the term. Your grades on the quizzes will be factored into your class participation grade.
Added Technical Proficiency
In addition to displaying journalistic skill, you must also show an advanced proficiency in all technical matters. Sloppy and/or late manuscripts simply won’t be accepted. More than four errors per assignment will result in a failing grade for that assignment.
A Note on Publishing
If you’re not already writing for the UPG literary magazine or newspaper, or for a local or regional newspaper or magazine, you should be. These all are natural markets for you. Now is the time to start building a portfolio of your work. You may also want to consider -- if you're not already doing this -- creating a blog of your own. We'll talk more about this in class.
Learning Disabilities
If you have a learning disability or need any individual accommodations, see Lou Ann Sears in the Learning Resources Center, located on the lower level of the Faculty Office Building.
*******
About the instructor: Lori Jakiela is the author of the memoir Miss New York Has Everything (Warner/Hatchette), and three poetry collections -- The Mill Hunk's Daughter Meets the Queen of Sky (Finishing Line Press), Red Eye (Pudding House Press) and The Regulars (Liquid Paper Press). Her essays have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh City Paper, The Tribune Review, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere. Another poetry collection -- Spot the Terrorist! -- will be published in Spring 2012 by Word Tech. Her second memoir, The Bridge to Take When Things Get Serious, will be published in January 2013,
Her poems and essays have been widely anthologized in the U.S. and the U.K., and her work regularly appears in many literary magazines, including 5 AM, Chiron Review, KGB BarLit, Nerve Cowboy, River Teeth and elsewhere.
She has been a columnist for the Tribune Review company, and her column "Here and Now" received a 2010 Golden Quill Award for Best Column Writing from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. She's a speaker for the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, an associate professor of English at Pitt-Greensburg, and on the faculty of Chatham University's low-residency MFA program.
***
Assignment Sheet/Week 1
Course Introduction. Review syllabus. Discuss basics of magazine writing. Audience/demographics.
Thursday lecture: The How-To Feature.
Assignments:
1. Identify three magazines you’d like to target. These should be magazines that are open to freelance and semi-novice writers. (You’ll need to do some research to make sure that the magazines you choose meet this criteria. You can look in each magazine’s masthead, at on-line sites, or in a freelance- writer’s guide like The Writer’s Market or The Guide to Literary Magazines and Small Presses.) In other words, these should be magazines where you might realistically place a story between now and the end of the semester. Bring in copies of the magazines or links (please add links to our class blog) for Thursday and be prepared to discuss.
2. Bring in one article from one of your target magazines to add to our course handouts. The article should be an example of what you think makes for a good magazine piece. If the article you're citing is online, please post the link on our class blog. Due on Thursday.
3. Consider your areas of expertise. Follow the assignment on our blog and post in the comments section under Experts.
4. Write one how-to piece. (500 words) Due on Tuesday. Be sure to identify your target market and at least one specific magazine/news mag that might be interested in publishing your work. Use at least one professional source when gathering your information. Be sure to include quotes from your source. Think about ways to illustrate your piece. Take photos, if possible. Post your piece to the class blog before noon on Tuesday.
Read: Chapters 1 and 2 in Jacobi.
Below you'll find our course syllabus, your first week's assignment sheet, and your instructor's bio.
Please register and follow this blog. Plan to check in regularly for assignment updates, useful links and information, and other course essentials. Some of your assignments will require you to post and respond to others' posts, so if you're not used to interacting on a blog, you soon will be.
Here's to a great semester!
*******
About the Course:
English Writing 1331/Magazine I
Fall 2010
Professor Jakiela
208 Faculty Office Building
724-836-7481
lljakiela@gmail.com
loj@pitt.edu
Office Hours: T/R Noon-1 p.m. and by appointment
Class Meets: T/R 136 McKenna 1-2:15 p.m.
Required Texts:
Peter Jacobi, The Magazine Article: How to Think It, Plan It, Write It
Lillian Ross, Portrait of Hemingway
The Associated Press Stylebook
The Rolling Stone Interviews (ed. Jann Wenner),Back Bay Books
Browse the magazine rack next time you drop by the Giant Eagle. Visit the magazine section at a Barnes & Noble near you. Scan the Web for zines. No matter your interest, you’ll find a magazine that’s a perfect fit.
Passionate about fine wine and felines? Try Gourmet and Cat Fancier. Are you a smart edgy woman with a tattoo and a passion for Chanel lipstick? Try Bust. In love with the literati? American Poetry Review or Poetry or that old standby, The New Yorker.
Like all things nonfiction? Try Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, and Brevity.
Do your friends call you Guy Politico? See Slate. Are you a people person? People.
Looking for the perfect shoes this season? In Style and Vogue, beautiful. Looking for the perfect tie to wear to the perfect martini bar? Esquire can help. Still have that life-sized poster of Vince Neil over your bed? Get your Metal Edge here.
In a wildly-changing journalism landscape, magazines and zines continue to offer one of the most diverse and sometimes lucrative venues for writers in the U.S. If you’re a writer who’d love to see your name on the cover of Rolling Stone, or at least in your local city alt-news mag, this is the course to help you get started.
By the end of the semester, you should be able to write well-crafted articles and essays for popular commercial, news, and/or literary magazines and online zines. Each article you write will be targeted to specific publications and will often be stylistically or thematically linked to our readings and handouts.
Our readings will give you a broad sense of what’s out there. We’ll cover personal essays and creative nonfiction, feature stories, profile pieces, q & a’s, how-to articles, reviews, and criticism. We’ll also take a look at various kinds of reporting (investigative, intimate, immersion, and so on) you’ll find in some of the best magazines on the market.
Since this is an upper-level course in non-fiction, I assume you’ve chosen to be here because you’re serious about your writing. That said, I’ll spend time this semester helping you to prepare your work for publication. You will learn how to write query letters, conduct market research, and make informed decisions about possible publishers/markets for your work. And I will encourage you to submit articles – once you’ve revised them – to magazines.
General course requirements include the following:
1. Come to class and participate in it. You may miss two classes without affecting your grade. After that, your grade will drop by one letter for each additional absence.
2. Come to class on time.
3. Meet deadlines. I will not accept late work. I will not accept work that is slipped under my office door. E-mailed assignments must come in under deadline. Assigned blog posts must also come in under deadline.
4. Please be professional when using e-mail. E-mailing me is not a substitute for class participation.
5. Read all assignments. Be prepared to answer questions about readings. If you are obviously not prepared for class, I may consider you absent. This will adversely affect your grade in this course.
6. Purchase and read (or subscribe online to) three monthly magazines to which you do not already subscribe. Be ready to write about and discuss what you learn from each magazine. Bring magazines or samples to class when needed.
7. Present a market analysis to the class.
8. Write one query letter.
9. Write at least four (may include: how-to, opinion/essay, q & a, profile) short articles and one long (6-10 pages) news/feature, interview-driven article. The long piece will be due at our last class meeting. It should be immersion-based. I’ll ask you to revise the shorter pieces as needed during the term. You’ll revise all pieces for your final portfolio. You may choose to expand one or several of your short articles into your final piece.
A Return to Intro to Journalism
Your writing should reflect your mastery of basic journalism. These include, but are not limited to, using sources and quotes effectively; writing with vivid, accurate details; handling facts with precision; maintaining AP style and following the journalists’ code of ethics; properly attributing information obtained through research; etc. Consult your Stylebook and a dictionary regularly to ensure accuracy.
An Ethical Reminder
Plagiarism is, of course, against the journalists’ code of ethics (“tell the truth and do no harm”). It’s also against UPG’s honor code. If you plagiarize, you will, at the very least, fail this class.
Assignments
I’ll give you an assignment sheet every week. Assignments will be adapted based on class proficiency and interests.
A Hint About That Long Piece
You should start to think about and research your long piece early in the term. Since there are no restrictions on subject – except that it must be fresh, marketable, and worthy of intense scrutiny and passion on your part – an early start shouldn’t be difficult.
Grading
Grades will be based on the quality and improvement of your writing and on class participation. There will be short quizzes, as needed, throughout the term. Your grades on the quizzes will be factored into your class participation grade.
Added Technical Proficiency
In addition to displaying journalistic skill, you must also show an advanced proficiency in all technical matters. Sloppy and/or late manuscripts simply won’t be accepted. More than four errors per assignment will result in a failing grade for that assignment.
A Note on Publishing
If you’re not already writing for the UPG literary magazine or newspaper, or for a local or regional newspaper or magazine, you should be. These all are natural markets for you. Now is the time to start building a portfolio of your work. You may also want to consider -- if you're not already doing this -- creating a blog of your own. We'll talk more about this in class.
Learning Disabilities
If you have a learning disability or need any individual accommodations, see Lou Ann Sears in the Learning Resources Center, located on the lower level of the Faculty Office Building.
*******
About the instructor: Lori Jakiela is the author of the memoir Miss New York Has Everything (Warner/Hatchette), and three poetry collections -- The Mill Hunk's Daughter Meets the Queen of Sky (Finishing Line Press), Red Eye (Pudding House Press) and The Regulars (Liquid Paper Press). Her essays have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh City Paper, The Tribune Review, Creative Nonfiction, and elsewhere. Another poetry collection -- Spot the Terrorist! -- will be published in Spring 2012 by Word Tech. Her second memoir, The Bridge to Take When Things Get Serious, will be published in January 2013,
Her poems and essays have been widely anthologized in the U.S. and the U.K., and her work regularly appears in many literary magazines, including 5 AM, Chiron Review, KGB BarLit, Nerve Cowboy, River Teeth and elsewhere.
She has been a columnist for the Tribune Review company, and her column "Here and Now" received a 2010 Golden Quill Award for Best Column Writing from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. She's a speaker for the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, an associate professor of English at Pitt-Greensburg, and on the faculty of Chatham University's low-residency MFA program.
***
Assignment Sheet/Week 1
Course Introduction. Review syllabus. Discuss basics of magazine writing. Audience/demographics.
Thursday lecture: The How-To Feature.
Assignments:
1. Identify three magazines you’d like to target. These should be magazines that are open to freelance and semi-novice writers. (You’ll need to do some research to make sure that the magazines you choose meet this criteria. You can look in each magazine’s masthead, at on-line sites, or in a freelance- writer’s guide like The Writer’s Market or The Guide to Literary Magazines and Small Presses.) In other words, these should be magazines where you might realistically place a story between now and the end of the semester. Bring in copies of the magazines or links (please add links to our class blog) for Thursday and be prepared to discuss.
2. Bring in one article from one of your target magazines to add to our course handouts. The article should be an example of what you think makes for a good magazine piece. If the article you're citing is online, please post the link on our class blog. Due on Thursday.
3. Consider your areas of expertise. Follow the assignment on our blog and post in the comments section under Experts.
4. Write one how-to piece. (500 words) Due on Tuesday. Be sure to identify your target market and at least one specific magazine/news mag that might be interested in publishing your work. Use at least one professional source when gathering your information. Be sure to include quotes from your source. Think about ways to illustrate your piece. Take photos, if possible. Post your piece to the class blog before noon on Tuesday.
Read: Chapters 1 and 2 in Jacobi.
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