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I launched this blog in 2008. My mini-me.
R.I.P. to The Village Voice, print edition
August 23, 2017
The Village Voice print edition is about to die. This news leaves me nostalgic. In 1978, I was a Voice college intern. When the semester ended, the paper hired me […]
Rule of 3 can help your writing
June 12, 2012
The earth pulses in three-beat rhythms. That’s why it helps to organize our writing around groups of three. When I tell my students this — especially the know-it-all adult writers […]
April 17, 2012
Being super-concise way is super-hard. In fact, it’s easier to blather on at length than to make a brief, laser-sharp statement. This ability to write tight is a basic journalistic […]
3 great writing tips that transform my students
October 25, 2011
I have a ton of writing tips. But for students in a hurry, three essentials always work. Together, they constitute a crash course in cleaning up how they express themselves. […]
What is a nut graf (or, nut graph)?
April 6, 2011
Note: Updated on Nov. 14, 2023 One of the best writing tools ever invented is called a “nut graf.” It can take your word craft to the next level. A […]
How to take great news photos & get published – 9 tips from Chuck Zoeller of AP
December 2, 2010
If you want to be a photojournalist — or just wish your photos had a more exciting, newsy edge — meet Chuck Zoeller. For the past 24 years, he’s been […]
Writing skills: My pet grammar peeve is “it” vs. “they”
October 24, 2009
My pet grammar peeve is worth reading. If you get this straight, you'll instantly look smarter and more educated. It's about "it" vs. "they."