Writing for News March 19, 2009

Since I am in Broadcast Journalism, I’ve had quite a bit of experience in writing newscasts, but often times I find myself being redundant. I don’t want to use the same introduction to actualities every time. What I mean is i feel often I’m saying “so and so explains…” or “so and so says the economic crisis”…

Which brings me to the realization that anytime I write for news I find myself depressed. Why does all news seem like bad news? I want to hear good stories about the economy (there has to be some out there).

Whether I’m good at writing newscasts or not, I’m finding that it is becoming a second nature to me. Like I said, that doesn’t mean I’m all that talented. But I am becoming more and more aware of false present tense, using “that” and finding good actualities.

I think I have written to my heart’s content. February 24, 2009

I’m not kidding. I think  I have written more these past few months than any time in my life. I’m not complaining, just making a statement (a statement that i am still in awe over).

Spent four hours on sunday night “finalizing” our script for Studio Production. And when I say “finalize”, i mean it will probably be revised about a million times over again.

And I just finished a rough draft “essay paper” about Robert La Follette and Progressivism for American Civilization. Its horrible. Trust me on this. I think all of my creativity has been squeezed out…

I need replenishing.

Its not easy work being a writer. In high school I used to think myself quite crafty with words… now… not so much. My mother always wanted me to be an author. My father always wanted me to be a teacher. I think i’ve meshed both those dreams into one.

And I’m exhausted.

I hope this makes sense. I guess what I’m getting at is that I’m looking forward to Spring Break. My fingers need to be couch potatoes for a bit and get off the keyboard treadmill. Don’t even get my started about my brain at this point.

Always learning… February 9, 2009

I seem to be constantly learning new things about myself as a writer. I’m definitely learning that you can pour yourself out into writing and it can still come out poopy (can i use that word?)

And the second, third, fourth, fifth drafts may not be any better. Part of me just wants to hang up the towel at times.

Sometimes I write things that I personally think are genius and find out no one agrees with my viewpoint. Its hard letting your babies go. But I keep trying and keep writing: for what?

Still trying to figure that out.

“Because God has spoken, and the rest is just commentary.” January 20, 2009

I’ve been examining my writing style and trying to improve writing in a way that sounds like a conversation.  A book that came to mind when i thought of conversation-style writing was “Sex God” by Rob Bell (well, “Velvet Elvis” is also a good example of this). Bell rarely writes long sentences with big words. He writes in a way that any Joe Schmo can understand.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons his books are so appealing.

Not only that, but just by reading his book you can hear his personality come through. Maybe the reason for this is because I’ve heard him speak, but regardless, his writing matches his speaking. Not only do I think so, but most everyone who reads his book (with whom I talk to) have agreed with this.

Simple. Clean. Easy to read and understand.

Apart from that point, I strongly believe that ANY communication major should read Sex God (no its not all about sex) because Bell discusses that we should present ourselves in a way that brings good into the world and not evil.

And yes, that was a shameless plug.

But I have found that even in fictional stories by my favorite authors, there are times when even the dialogue does not seem conversation-style.  Sometimes I find myself reading a line over and over because it just doesn’t seem to make sense.

So in my everyday writing I’m going to try to improve my conversational appeal, so to speak.

But seriously, read that book. It will change  your mind on alot of things. Even communication.

Writing “Funny” January 13, 2009

We’ve been writing a treatment and pitch for hours now about a television sitcom for my class studio production.

Its consuming my life.

But as I sit here, a fear  creeps into my head that has been since we started this whole project.

I’m afraid I can’t write “funny”.

I can come up with a million characters and a million plots and conflicts and dialogue but writing funny does not come naturally. I read scripts from The Dick Van Dyke show, Mary Tyler Moore, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, and even in reading the scripts I find myself laughing.

But me? Writing “funny”?

I think out of the day I laugh more than I do anything else. I grew up around sarcasm; my family dinners were always hysterical. I can crack jokes here and there, but to write funny is truly an art.

And I’m beginning to fear that I’m a crappy painter.

So my prayer is that as this semester progresses, somehow the natural juices will flow and the funny will just… come.

Returning the Favor January 6, 2009

I’m not big into car commercials, but whoever wrote the commercial for the new Cadillac was a genius.

Car commercials never stay in my head. But the line that says “The question is, when you turn your car on, does it return the favor?” has stuck in my mind for months now. Pure genius.  What is it about this statement? I have no idea. Really, its simple, clean, attractive.  And I’d say that’s saying something from a girl who doesn’t enjoy car commercials.