You may be reading this post on a computer screen or smartphone rather than on a piece of paper, but you are reading words that I wrote — not watching a video, not listening to an audio clip, not looking at a slideshow. The written word remains the backbone of communication regardless of how it is delivered, which means that writing well remains just as important in our time of blogs and Facebook as when newsprint was the only medium of mass communication.Telling a good story, knowing your readers and writing cleanly and concisely are hallmarks of journalistic writing, but should be the goal of all writers. Your readers want it and deserve it. My years as a newspaper writer were the best possible foundation for my later move into public relations.
Gareth Henderson's recent blog for mStoner, "Old-School Journalism Tips for Online Writers," highlights some keys to good writing, whether it will be viewed in print or online.
(Photo from Microsoft Office Images)
I agree. Writing well is something that is quickly getting lost despite its importance not just in journalism but life in general. I don't think I know of any employer who would hire someone with poor grammar and/or spelling (the backbone of writing in my opinion). The irony of that last sentence is that I almost used the wrong form of hire. Anyway, you have a solid point with this and the mStoner blog solidifies it.
ReplyDeleteI have read very similar tips from my Professional Seminar book "Elements of Journalism". And they all reflect on the foundations and principles of journalism.
ReplyDeleteEven though grammar plays a significant role - I still find people using the term in the wrong way.
And your headline is a great hook. As a communication student, it's pretty much my job to scour the reason for the term 'medium'. I still wonder though - does speech mimic the system?
I completely agree with this post. It's hard to believe that there are people who think that the written word doesn't matter anymore and that video and audio is the new backbone of communication. It's just like believing that newspapers are dying, which again, is not true. I hope that people have a reality check soon and realize just how true this post is.
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