Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, May 15, 2006
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, May 15, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mentor
-
Books Columns - Write Right Good writers use language carefully
Which is easier to write, news or feature? "Producing a tightly written 150-word news story that is succinct and simple to read is often a lot easier than producing a 1,000-word feature on a subject that is completely new to you and for which you have had little time for research." Thus opine Susan Pape and Sue Featherstone in Feature Writing, from Sage (www.sagepublications.com). Time constraint is, however, no excuse to let your writing slip, note the authors. "You must sustain interest throughout the text and for this you'll need lively, well-considered writing." They cite Ian Reeves for his views on research versus writing skills. Evidence of good research is important, because a feature should have interesting facts in it, says Reeves. "But you could be the best researcher in the world yet still not write a decent feature. You have to have the writing skills as well and, sadly, not everyone has research and writing skills. Ninety per cent of it is down to the writing." The book has chapters on sourcing the feature, interviewing, different types of features, personal columns, commissioned features and so on. In a chapter on `Language and structure,' the authors remind readers that if a feature reads right, it has been written right. "Good writers use language carefully. There are over a million words to choose from in the English language and it is the job of the writer to find the right one and put it in the right place so as to convey exactly the right meaning and tone." A thought from Reeves, again, is that a great feature is something that makes you miss your stop on the train. "You are suddenly three-quarters of the way through and you are not aware of time passing." The final chapter titled `Why feature writers become feature writers,' begins with this question: "Is it difficult to move from the hard-nosed, foot-in-the-door style of the news desk to the less highly charged atmosphere of the features department?" The authors' view is `no.' They see the move as a natural progression; and it needn't be one-way, either. "Many news reporters write features as part of their daily work, developing a news story into a feature, taking a feature and turning it into a news story, writing a feature on their own specialist subject, or simply writing a general feature or news backgrounder following a brief from the news desk." A book that can make you miss your stop on the train! Send in your language queries to WriteRightWrite@gmail.com. Blog at http://BookPeek.blogspot.com
More Stories on : Books | Newspapers & Publishing | Write Right
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2006, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|