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Writing For Newspapers
By Peg Russell
Newsletters are an ideal way for writers to practice their craft and become known as writers in the community. Editors of
existing newsletters welcome well written features, and a church or organization without a newsletter, if queried, would like
to have one.
Church newsletter feature subjects would include interviews and profiles of an elder, choir leader, church officer, or
church school teacher.
Historical topics are popular and might cover the person named on a stained glass window or a short anecdote told by one
of the older church members or gleaned from old session notes (how the church got the organ, the balcony used for segregation,
when the Presbyterian elder got so tired of session wrangling that he went to the Methodist Church for a while).
Some feature ideas are easy to research on the Internet. The liturgical colors which change during the year, and what
Maundy Thursday means, for example, or the story behind a well known hymn.
Features about different departments would be welcome in hospital auxiliary newsletters. The special surgical helmets
worn by surgeons; an interview with the Lifeline coordinator who mentions the times the call button is hit by accident by
hugging a relative or having a cat step on one; how many individual meals the hospital food service serves and the different
diets it accommodates or statistics about the number of dozens of eggs or pounds of coffee it uses every week/month/year are
very interesting stories.
These newsletter features, used as publishing credits build resume portfolio clips, stepping stones for future writing
positions and introductions to new editors. With prompting, the newsletter editor can write a short recommendation mentioning
how the writer met deadlines, showed initiative, and the popularity of the articles.
Eating Your Words
By Jerry Hobbs
Having attended prose critique sessions, seminars and creative writing classes for several years, it was only natural to one
day realize how closely certain writing styles resemble the preparation of food. This means of course, that completed written
pieces can also resemble prepared meals. In fact, the two are so similar, the following list, or menu, practically wrote itself.
(Incidentally, the comparisons are based on prose and should therefore be taken by poets with a grain of salt.)
SALAD writing offers what is only considered essential to maintain life--such as lettuce, a sliver or two of carrot, and
possibly a small wedge of tomato to add a hint of vitamin N, as in necessary. Hold the dressing, please. It might contain
an adjective, adverb or (heaven forbid) a metaphor to liven things up. Healthy ... yes. Mouth-watering? Well, maybe we should
settle for healthy.
FAST FOOD writing is similar to a salad, but the target is to condense the piece into the fewest possible words, yet still
satisfy the reader's appetite for meat, bread and condiments. No French fries or onion rings, please; they won't fit into
that compact, cardboard container.
FLUFF writing is the opposite of salad and fast food. This meal will be laden with superlative garnishes, bright colors
and artfully carved vegetables. Though it may sometimes be difficult to recognize the main dish, the overall meal can be quite
pleasing to the palate.
GAME FOOD writing contains portions of lusty wild animal or fowl sprinkled throughout the meal. Though not always appetizing,
the reader bravely bites, chews and swallows. If done discretely, these tidbits can serve to vicariously enhance the ingestion
process.
TURKEY AND DRESSING writing is what many writers strive for. A well-balanced meal that will leave readers smacking their
lips for days or even weeks to come. It includes a clearly defined slice of turkey, intermixed with tantalizing bites of flavorful
side dishes to leave the reader satisfied, yet not glutted, from a unique dining experience. And don't forget to include a
tasty dessert at the end.
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