Newspaper Writing Tips

I'm always interested in new knowledge and information. I'm also a lover of old books and stories. So when I saw the UO Library was having a book sale, with a whole table devoted to journalism, I happily plunged in.

I was tempted by, but stayed away from the romance novels, 1970s era teen fiction and a whole table of maps. Ok, well truth be told, I bought one map. As Joseph Conrad wrote in Heart of Darkness :

"Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America, or Africa, or Australia, and lose myself in all the glories of exploration. At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map (but they all look that) I would put my finger on it and say, When I grow up I will go there."

I love maps. But that's beside the point.

I pretty much stuck to the journalism table. I came home with a seven part pamphlet series titled "WRITING for NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES and TRADEPAPERs" published in 1924. It was written by a fellow named Orin R. Coile. Mr. Coile may have been famous in his day, but the only information Google had on him was a genealogy listing that said he was a newspaper editor in Tennessee, born in 1876 and had at least four wives between 1897 and 1910. I'm hoping he had more success as a newspaper editor than he did with wives. But judging from his advice, I'm not so sure. Here are some choice excerpts from the first pamphlet:

"Writing for profit is easy. The very simplicity of writing for newspapers is the only complex thing connected with it. There is no reason why, if you will follow this instruction, you should not begin to make money quickly.

"Most people writing their first offering for newspapers write upon the theory that fine writing is necessary. The reverse is true. Simple writing is wanted and is absolutely necessary.

"Newspapers are for the masses. Therefore newspaper stories (every news item is called a "story" in a newspaper office) must be written in the simplest style possible. The more one and two syllable words you use the better your story will be."

Huh. One and two syllable words. I KNEW there was something I wasn't quite getting right in my stories. Now if I can just find a one-syllable word for "environmental" or "particulate matter."

Stay tuned for more writing tips from sections like: "How to keep the confidence of your news sources" and (my favorite) "How to cover a story in the manner of an expert."