Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines: The Pursuit of Excellence (6th Edition) [Paperback]

Edward Jay Friedlander (Author), John D. Lee (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205484662 | ISBN-13: 978-0205484669 | Publication Date: July 29, 2007 | Edition: 6

Using experience-driven advice and compelling articles from scores of newspaper and magazine writers, Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines shows how award-winning journalists achieve excellence and national recognition.

 

This bookhelps the reader cultivate vital journalistic skills with a thorough discussion about creating and refining article ideas, conducting research and interviews, writing, and navigating legal and ethical questions. It includes advice and examples from award-winning writers–28 of whom have won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. World-class writing examples, extensive updates and timely tips from some of America's best feature and magazine writers have made this the premier book in its field for more than two decades.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines: The Pursuit of Excellence, 6/e

Edward Jay Friedlander, University of South Florida

John Lee, University of Memphis

 

Using experience-driven advice and compelling articles from scores of newspaper and magazine writers, Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines shows how award-winning journalists achieve excellence and national recognition.

 

This text helps students cultivate vital journalistic skills with a thorough discussion about creating and refining article ideas, conducting research and interviews, writing, and navigating legal and ethical questions. Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines includes advice and examples from award-winning writers, 28 of whom have won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. World-class writing examples, extensive updates, and timely tips from some of America's best feature and magazine writers have made this the premier text in its field for more than two decades.

 

Features:

• Combines clear explanations of each step in the writing process with a wide range of stories from some of the country's best feature writers.
• Accompanies every writing example with a careful analysis of the author's writing technique.
• Provides biographies of award-winning journalists and case history comments and writing tips from the writers themselves.
• Includes coverage of the libel and privacy laws and ethical considerations important to every potential newspaper and magazine writer in search of true excellence.

 

New to this Edition:

• Features new excerpts from three Pulitzer Prize-winning feature articles, as well as interviews with their writers, to promote better writing by providing some of the best examples available.
• Includes a new National Magazine award-winner, a 2005 science essay from the Phi Beta Kappa magazine, and introduces “The Essay”—a writing form not previously discussed (Ch. 8).
• Examines the work of the first Hispanic Pulitzer Prize-winner to provide students with examples of the challenges of writing the same story in two languages (Ch. 7).
• Explains Internet-based multimedia techniques in feature and magazine writing to prepare students for converged newspapers and magazines by using the 2006 Pulitzer Prize-winner for feature writing (Ch. 7).

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 6 edition (July 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205484662
• ISBN-13: 978-0205484669
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're serious about freelance writing, you'll buy this book, April 13, 2009

By 

Rhiannon Bowman "Rhi B." (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines: The Pursuit of Excellence (6th Edition) (Paperback)

This is my favorite textbook ever. I mean it: ever. And, that's saying a lot since I started college in the fall of 1995 and won't finish up for another 26 days (at my third college). This book, Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines, The Pursuit of Excellence, by Jay Friedlander and John Lee, was the absolute perfect book to end my collegiate career.

Why? Because not only is it full of useful (as in I went straight home and put the advice into immediate practice in my freelance writing business) tips, the authors fill many chapters with Pulitzer Prize winning examples -- stories that are difficult to find elsewhere, stories that will move your soul and inspire your muse.

Sure, there were a few pages when I would nod and think, "Yes. Yes. I've read this before." But there were many, many more pages that caused me to take feverish notes and some even had me running to the copy machine to make a copy for the "helpful tips" notebook that sits on my desk.

For instance, on page 296, the section on "Avoiding Common Mistakes" is priceless. But, what I want to know is this: why didn't someone share this information with me from the beginning? Life would have been so much easier -- and less embarrassing -- and I would have saved oodles of time.

Yeah, the book covers the basics -- like story structure and trends, but it also talks about focusing your ideas and what won't work. It also lays down the law on page 67 with the section "Three Necessary Skills for the Freelance Writer." Got 'em? Great. Don't? You might want to re-think your profession.

What if you don't feel comfortable interviewing? After chapter five you will. Would you rather poke your eyes out than revise? Chapter 9 will come to your rescue. Not sure what your rights and boundaries are? Chapter 10, "Legal and Ethical Considerations for Writers" covers the details.

Seriously, I never thought I'd say this: but I can't wait to read this textbook again. It's one that will live on my bookshelves for as long as I'm trading words for dollars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to feature writing at a beginners level, March 19, 2010

By 

Ravi Shukla (Lynchburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines: The Pursuit of Excellence (6th Edition) (Paperback)

I am using this book for my intro feature writing course. Its best feature is the collection of award-winning articles that is included in various chapters. It also provides an insight into their writer's frame of mind. Other advice and tips given by the authors of this book is also good; but most of them are quite obvious. For example, writing chapter includes usual writing tips like use of active voice etc. However, beginners may nevertheless find them useful.
However, the book is worth the price simply as an excellent anthology of award winning feature articles.

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Outdated, May 6, 2010

By 

F.E. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Feature Writing for Newspapers and Magazines: The Pursuit of Excellence (6th Edition) (Paperback)

This textbook was chosen for an undergrad/graduate course that I took in magazine article writing. I took the course as a non-traditional (read: old enough to be the undergrads' parent) graduate student. I have some experience as a published magazine writer. I found the text terribly outdated. Many examples used in this book were stories from before the young people (undergrads) in my class were even born. Partway through the semester, the newer version of this textbook came out, so the $100 I plunked down for a useless textbook is now worth $6 on resale. Absolutely not recommended.