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CLICHE10

Clichés can be used anywhere on anything but can be trespasses. They are like the lemon to the lemonade, always making things better, I suppose. Although some clichés are worn out, using them over and over just makes them even funnier. Some writers have their favorite clichés for their favorite subjects. Sports, for example, has many clichés both old and new.

We do have to keep in mind that clichés are somewhat of one’s opinion and not everyone might agree to what has been said. One might laugh while the other gets offended.

Writing a story, blog, or even a Facebook post can be very tricky. Freedom of speech can come with many attacks. All of a sudden, you are the most wanted person on Facebook after posting your opinion over Beyonce’s outfit at the Billboards. Because of this, is why some writers rather not touch any clichés and much rather get straight to the point. No trespassing around here.

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PITFALLS7

Attributes might seem like they mean the same thing, but as a broadcast writer, you must be very careful with which one you chose to represent your sentence. Although “said” is the easiest one to use, using it too much can make the story not believable and rather boring.

Which is why we usually go with, declared, stated, asserted and many more. But each one has its meaning, it can either make you reliable and trustworthy or a liar for saying you were sure about something you clearly weren’t sure about. You have to make sure they fit your circumstances, better said, make sure what you are trying to say is actually what you are trying to say because most attributes are extremely misused.

There is many more attributes or verbs you can use, but as said before, they might seem like they mean the same thing, but be sure that what you’re trying to say is actually what you’re trying to say.

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CAPPON11

Features are very much needed but not as immediate as harder news. If that makes sense. Features are what you use for human-interest or fun facts. Something you’d put in if there was time left to fill. Features give pleasure and entertainment to the public while hard news give the actual, news. Features do not have to follow a specific pattern since they have much more room to roam from. But what you have to watch out for is boring or misleading the reader. Its easy for hard news to start off with a kick since they have the lead, which will grab their attention immediately, but features? You have to be smart, skilled and imaginative. Much of this interest comes from writing about a story whom many can relate to rather than a few people. Features are just as important as hard news stories in the sense that they are entertaining, interesting and fun, and in reality, we all need a little bit of that from time to time.

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CAPPON6

There is such thing as music in words. Although it might sound crazy, there is music in words. And no I’m not talking about an actual musical song, I’m referring to music found in writing. Yeah, writing. For example, poems, stories, biographies, and even blogs.

You can tell a lot about the author from his or her tone in their writing. Whether that author is humorous, sad, angry or even in love. That’s what gets the reader’s attention. Each reader has something they’re looking for, they’re not just reading to read. Right? What you do have to keep in mind is how you interpret your writing, because it might be different on how the reader interprets it. In example, being very careful with how personal the writing might be will get you very far. The inner music of words can make your writing pleasurable or disturbing. Although your purpose is to please the reader, music is not always beautiful.

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CAPPON4

The reason for periods is simple, yet complex. You have to know when to use the period but also know how to not over use it. A periods purpose is to catch a break, as well as finish your thought or idea. Now when we talk about grammar in the news and media, it’s different because you have to squeeze plenty of information into one teeny tiny sentence. As mentioned before, the media has certain limits and expectations when it comes to having the information in the sentence. You cant have too much nor too little, because enough is never enough.

As Cappon states, there are no rules of good writing. The average sentence is about 20 words. What we have to avoid is entanglements and confusions. Having too many periods in one sitting is going to sound awful if the idea isn’t clear. Periods are there to help us, we have to take advantage of that. Periods should be simple, that’s what they’re for.

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CAPPON3

Leads. What would we do without them. As, Cappon said, “the bait, the lure, the tender trap for the reader..” how can you grab anyone’s attention without having a very interesting beginning? To tell a story, or a good one at least, you’d have to have a lead. Leads trap the reader’s attention and that makes them want to continue reading the story.

But leads do have a limit of words you can put in them. Like any other short story, you want to leave in just the right amount and squeeze out the excess juice. The key to a good lead is making it stand out, make it different.

We hear about the government or war and crimes on the news all the time. The goal is to spice it up. “The more action your lead conveys, the better.” cappon stated, but also be careful with how much information is put into your lead because there wont be enough information to be put into the story, it will then all sound repeated and make the story not as good.

It seems as if it’s all a hit or miss. It’ll either be a very good lead, or a weak one. But how can you not put too much info into it, you have to set the bait, the tender trap for the reader. Leads, what would we do without them.

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CAPPON2

There’s no better way to put it, like Cappon said, information is not enough. Some sentences don’t need the extra push, the extra sauce, but some do. Adding too many details to stories can either make the story or break it. Yes, some require details and imagination, but others don’t. So will information be enough? Too much, too little? Enough isn’t even enough.

I agree with his opinion over accidents and deaths being the less gory the better. There’s no need for the bloody details over the death of two in a car accident and how one’s head was dismembered due to having no seat belt and how the other flew out the windshield causing his arm to bend in 4 different directions. That’s too much for anyone to hear, really.

Being careful with deleting details or having to remove words due to a limit might be harder than it sounds, too. You must remove the extra stuff but not enough to where nobody knows what you’re talking about or who you’re speaking of.

So back to good information being enough, is it too much or too little? Enough isn’t even enough.

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INTRO

Hey everyone, as if I have some sort of a huge crowd anyway, i’m here to tell ya a little bit about myself and why i’m even making this blog. I am a mass communication student at Sam Houston State University, senior year, actually, whoop whoop :) I was born and raised in Houston<3, my parents are originally from Chihuahua, MX but moved here over thirty years ago. I am the oldest of three, so I have the “role model” weight on my shoulders. i am excited about graduation, yet scared. Who knows what the real world is like, right? I think i’m in the right to be scared. No one’s said it would be easy, but no one’s said it’ll be impossible. At least that’s what I like to believe. Anyways, I should have started a blog way long ago, especially for my career, but never really got down to it. So here I am, expanding my horizons, as some would say.  Okay, now I’m just prolonging this. Hope to see/hear from ya!�� 

xoxo -

lizzasaidso

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CAPPON1

Cappon’s directness is inspiring as well as contagious. He says what is supposed to be said and puts no rainbows and flowers around it. Focusing on his opinion though, I do agree that journalism should be precise and direct. The audience wants to know what happened and why it happened, so they deserve to know.

Reflecting on the language he says is used for journalists, gobbledygook, one can hear as many as one thousand words but only understand two. Now journalists must obtain all that information and put it together in a sense that will be clear to understand yet easy to picture as well.

Now, what would news be without the understanding of what you hear/see? Everyone would just jump to conclusions and make no sense of what was said in the story. The world would be chaotic, a lot more than it is now. Journalists are here to find out the information and deliver it but in a way that will flow like the waves from the sea… that made sense, right? So, like I said before, the audience wants to know what happened and why, lets tell them. Precisely and directly.