Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes [Paperback]

David E. Sumner (Author), Holly G. Miller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813805198 | ISBN-13: 978-0813805191 | Publication Date: May 2, 2005 | Edition: 1

Consider the unique features of Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes. Its authors have taught magazine writing at universities for a combined 30 years and have earned success and acclaim for magazine writing and editing. Its comprehensive chapters cover the most complete range of topics ever included in a magazine and feature writing text. Its affordability makes it immediately applicable to the hundreds of journalism programs teaching “magazine writing,” “feature writing” or similar courses. Authors Sumner and Miller have written a text that genuinely models its message through lively writing, touches of humor and a conversational tone. Coverage includes content too often missing or deficient in existing texts: finding original ideas; developing strong angles; writing for targeted, niche audiences; practical how-to instruction on the many different types of magazine articles; fresh perspective and advice from professional writers and editors; examples, exercises and sample, illustrative articles; glossaries of publishing terms in each chapter; how to find the best Web sites and databases for background research; and how to locate expert sources who are accessible for telephone interviews. Tightly edited, colorfully written, concise, and moderately priced, Feature and Magazine Writing is the textbook of choice for your future feature writers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“With clear writing and expertly crafted examples, this book goes beyond simply telling writers what to do and what not to do, but becomes a useful tool with its anecdotal evidence, challenging scenarios and actual sample writing how to become better feature writers.”
Tia C.M. Tyree
District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency

"Expertly packaged and sharply written, Sumner and Miller’s engaging text teaches not only basic elements of magazine writing, but also offers practical advice for today’s developing journalist. Everything from sentence structure to story-pitching advice is vividly explained, and the authors wisely include points of view from members of the contemporary working press. Also noteworthy is a wealth of information regarding the Internet, perhaps the most valuable and treacherous tool for tomorrow’s reporter."

David Abrahamson, Ph.D.

Helen G. Brown Research Professor of Journalism, Medill School of Journal,

Northwestern University

From the Back Cover

Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes genuinely models its message through lively writing, touches of humor and a conversational tone. Sumner and Miller cover a complete range of topics too often missing in existing texts. Topics include:

• Finding original ideas


• Developing strong angles


• Writing for targeted, niche audiences


• Practical how-to instruction on the many different types of magazine articles


• Fresh perspective and advice from professional writers and editors


• Examples, exercises and sample illustrative articles


• Glossaries of publishing terms in each chapter


• How to find the best Web sites and databases for background research


• How to locate expert sources who are accessible for telephone interviews

Immediately applicable to the hundreds of journalism programs teaching "magazine writing," "feature writing" or similar courses, this tightly edited and colorfully written textbook is a must-have for future feature writers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (May 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813805198
• ISBN-13: 978-0813805191
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #583,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Although I grew up on a farm and orange grove in central Florida, I have taught magazine journalism at Ball State University in Indiana since 1990. I have written three books about magazines in the past five years: "Magazines: A Complete Guide to the Industry" (Peter Lang Pub. 2006), "Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes," (2nd. ed., Wiley Blackwell, 2009), and "The Magazine Century: American Magazines Since 1900," (Peter Lang Pub. 2010). I earned at PhD at the University of Tennessee and a BA at Stetson University. I have been writing freelance articles for magazines since 1975 and have published in dozens of magazines, newspapers and encyclopedias. Currently I am working on a memoir titled "Meaning in Life."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic text, February 28, 2008

By 

R. Perry (Nacogdoches, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes (Paperback)

This book gives is well written and informative. It explains feature writing without trying to bury the reader, and it is well organized throughout. It is somehow enjoyable as well.

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, but you shouldn't use this as your only source, July 21, 2008

By 

Gloria Lloyd - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and Anecdotes (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book, which I used as an (unassigned) textbook for a class. If I didn't know anything about feature writing, I would not just rely on this book to tell me everything I need to know, although the information provided is helpful. Sumner could make more use of examples of good feature writing (he does this to great effect with one particular fantastic article, "Mrs. Kelly's Monster" by Jon Franklin, the first article to win the Pulitzer for Feature Writing). In many cases, Sumner uses information given in other textbooks and authors' published books on writing, which means that his book is less of a primary source and more of a compendium of author comments at times. This is not a bad thing. However, the chapters were so short that by the time you really got into the material, it was over. Some of the class assignments would be really useful if done as homework for class.

Overall, this book is helpful, but I do prefer the textbook by Bruce Garrison, which I am currently reading.