Customer Reviews

The Magazine Article: How to Think It, Plan It, Write It

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was totally the opposite of what I was expecting - namely, practical down-to-earth steps in preparing a magazine article. Instead, it was filled with samples that could be called "motivational" but not the practical tips I seeking. I found the "Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" by Jean Frederette to be much more of the nuts and bolts that I was looking for. Perhaps a more experienced writer would appreciate the powerful examples in this book; however, as a novice I need to know more tecnique than theory. My book will be shoved to the back of the bookcase for now.

Magazine writing is a breed different from any other journalistic style. Peter Jacobi's book explains and inspires, in plain English, how to captivate readers, remain focused, and appeal to an audience. As important a reference as Elements of Style

This book is probably the most focused, practical book on the market. Full of ways to find writing ideas, organize them, and get them down on paper in a captivating way. For anyone searching for a resource written just for writers, you'll find it here. Great book, Peter!

Not much more than a collection of anecdotes. Don't expect to learn much here. The section on interviewing, for instance, gives a couple of stories, then a brief guideline, with such original gems as "ask intelligent questions". Nothing on how to find the people to interview, how to connect with them, whether and what you should expect to pay, or how to actually conduct the interview.

Maybe I just didn't "get it." More likely my expectations were different than what the author intended. I was expecting "hundreds of ideas to spark my creativity" but got the same number of examples from Harpers, New Yorker, WSJ, Time and just about every other publication known to man, or so it seems. Yes I read some good, actually great, writing examples, but it never came together nor did I get the points being made. Perhaps I'll let it sit on the shelf a while and try again another day. For now, my recommendation is to pick up "How to Write Articles for Newspapers and Magazines" - more information in half the number of pages.

Well written book. Very insightful, full of examples, clear and concise, and last but not least, helpful! This book will take you step by step on how to write a successful magazine article; one that will have an impact on its readers. Great read!

I teach magazine journalism at the college level, and I find Peter Jacobi's book to be the best available for helping students understand the important aspects of this often challenging form of expression. Jacobi offers insightful and interesting examples, he connects with readers in an engaging way, and he walks readers through the process from idea to final polish. I have considered nearly every magazine-writing book out there and I recommend this one very highly.

I'm halfway through this book and already have found ways to improve my writing. Copious examples that detail the text. I particulairly found the topic of story structure interesting - something which I had no previous knowledge.

The title should have been "How Your Articles Should Look" The book is a good read... It will get the "creative" juices flowing. Through article examples, the book shows you different methods on how your articles should look. If you're searching for a book that goes into the mechanics of article writing, this book is not it.