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Textbook
Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle and AnecdotesJanuary 2013, ©2013, Wiley-Blackwell
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Updated with fresh facts, examples and illustrations, along with two new chapters on digital media and blogs this third edition continues to be the authoritative and essential guide to writing engaging and marketable feature stories.
- Covers everything from finding original ideas and angles to locating expert sources
- Expanded edition with new chapters on storytelling for digital media and building a story blog
- Captivating style exemplifies the authors’ expert guidance, combining academic authority with professional know-how
- Comprehensive coverage of all the angles, including marketing written work and finding jobs in the publishing industry
- Essential reading for anyone wishing to become a strong feature writer
- Accompanied by a website with a wealth of resources including PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and Q&As that will be available upon publication: www.wiley.com/go/sumnerandmiller
About the Authors x
PART I: Reading, Writing and Relevance 1
1 What Makes a Story Interesting? 3
2 How to Find an Original Idea 14
3 Strong Angles and Focused Ideas 26
4 Digging Deep for Original Stories 39
5 Talking Pointers: How to Conduct Great Interviews 55
PART II: Taking Your Articles to the Freelance Market 73
6 To Market, To Market: Shopping Your Words Around 75
7 Pitch-Perfect Query Letters 91
PART III: Adding Action and Anecdotes 107
8 Where to Begin: The First 100 Words 109
9 Action, Brevity and Style 123
10 Anecdotes: Mining for Gold 138
PART IV: Different Formats, Different Results 151
11 Briefs: Shortcuts to Publication 153
12 Profiles: Slices of Life 167
13 Writing Nonfi ction Narratives 186
14 Eliminating the Ho-Hum From the How-To 211
15 Making a Timely Calendar Connection 225
16 Writing About Trends and Issues 237
PART V: Exploring Digital Opportunities 253
17 Building a Story Blog 255
18 Long-Form Digital Storytelling 265
PART VI: Preparing the Final Draft 277
19 Advancing Beyond the Slush Pile 279
20 Before You Hit the “Send” Button: A Checklist 293
21 Careers in Magazine Publishing 299
Appendix: Shoptalk: A Glossary of Magazine Lingo 314
Index 325
David E. Sumner is a professor of journalism and head of the magazine journalism program at Ball State University, USA. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee and is a former ‘Magazine Educator of the Year’ in recognition of his contribution to journalism teaching. His books include The Magazine Century: American Magazines Since 1900 (2010), and Magazines: A Complete Guide to the Industry (2006).
Holly G. Miller is a working journalist and communications consultant, with bylines in numerous publications including Reader’s Digest, TV Guide, and Indianapolis Monthly. She has degrees from Indiana University and Ball State University, USA, and teaches advanced feature-writing classes across America. In addition to writing, ghost-writing, and co-authoring more than a dozen books, she has won awards from Associated Press, the Society of American Travel Writers, and the Evangelical Press Association
- Expanded edition with new chapters on storytelling for digital media and building a story blog
- Covers everything from finding original ideas and angles to locating expert sources
- Expanded edition with new chapters on storytelling for digital media and building a story blog
- Captivating style exemplifies the authors’ expert guidance
- Authors combines academic authority with professional know-how
- Comprehensive coverage of all the angles, including marketing written work and finding jobs in the publishing industry
- Essential reading for anyone wishing to become a strong feature writer
- Accompanied by a website with a wealth of resources including PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and Q&As that will be available upon publication: www.wiley.com/go/sumnerandmiller
“Highly recommended for any student interested in writing for magazines or the Internet.” (Cogito Ergo Sum, 20 December 2012)
“This text provides the cutting-edge insights on writing and publishing needed in today's competitive marketplace. The authors--themselves highly successful authors and editors--teach with wit, pragmatic examples, concise information, and logical explanations. For developing journalists and freelance writers, this book is the gold standard.”
- Dennis E. Hensley, Taylor University
“Holly Miller was my first editor when I wrote for The Saturday Evening Post, and I found her directives to me on a story assignment to be to the point and always helpful. In this book, she and David Sumner speak to student writers as if they were already professional writers. The advice is lucid. The tips are outstanding. This revision addresses the switch to digital publishing and even a veteran writer of 50 years such as myself can learn from it.”
- Hank Nuwer, Franklin College
“Practical, methodical, and poetic, this book wonderfully teaches the art and craft of writing features and magazine stories. And it’s targeted to the digital demands of the 21st century.”
- Berkley Hudson, University of Missouri
