Hunter Harris

The Midpoint (Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 7 of 12) via Helping Writers Become Authors #amwriting #writetip #nanowrimo #pubtip https://lnkd.in/ewEiumuZ

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The Power of a Pitch "Publishing credentials, well-researched comp titles, and a bit of personalization will certainly help your case, but your pitch is currency." https://buff.ly/3Yv3wqF #writerscommunity #writingcommunity #writerslife #amwriting

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We lead today’s Connecting with the viewpoint of Columbia Journalism Review on the plans announced by the AP to create a new sister organization to fundraise for and support state and local journalism.   Governed by an independent board of directors, the 501(c)3 charitable organization will help AP sustain, augment and grow journalism and services for the industry, as well as help fund other entities that share a commitment to state and local news.   We also deliver more of your stories of working in your first AP bureau – continuing an ongoing theme that’s proven highly popular.   Our colleague Norm Abelson observes: “Of all the compelling, humorous, moving and enlightening pieces I have read on Connecting, the recent stories on first AP assignments rank near the top.   “Often they're as interesting as a novel, as educating as a J-school grad course, as personal as a memoir. The stories are told with honesty and openness, recalling both the successes as well as the miscues and bumps along the way.   “Both for those who opted for a career with the news service, as well as those of us who moved on to other interests, I'd argue there is no better foundation for a meaningful and fulfilling career than time spent at The AP.”   Here’s to a great day – be safe, stay healthy, live it to your fullest. https://conta.cc/4ciWKsA

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Juggling Life and Writing: 9 Tips for Maintaining Creative Focus via Helping Writers Become Authors #amwriting #writetip #nanowrimo #pubtip https://lnkd.in/eWyqu-6t

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The 2025 Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) Journalism Excellence Awards open Deadline 12 February 2025 Journalists who have published stories in 2024 and are AAJA members can nominate themselves for the awards. The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is hosting the Journalism Excellence Awards. The awards have two main categories: journalism excellence by medium and by subject. Journalists who produce written reporting, digital reporting, photojournalism, video and audio reporting on various subjects, including investigative reporting, sports reporting, science/environment/health reporting and others, are welcome to submit their work produced in 2024. However, each entered work may only be submitted to one award category. Submissions that display outstanding storytelling, in-depth reporting that moves the industry and cultural understandings forward, and pieces that demonstrate impact are highly encouraged. Special consideration is given to top-notch journalism about the AAPI community, in the U.S. or abroad. Interested nominees must have a current AAJA membership and be committed to AAJA’s mission. They may join the organization prior to submitting their awards application. AAJA is open to all journalists, regardless of ethnic or racial identity. https://lnkd.in/gK6Nyrmv

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🌍 The Importance of Diversity in Editorial Teams 🖋️ Diversity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential for creating impactful content. Here’s why: Broader Perspectives: Diverse teams bring a variety of viewpoints, enriching the content. Inclusive Content: Reflecting diverse voices ensures content resonates with a wider audience. Innovation: A mix of backgrounds and experiences leads to more creative solutions. Cultural Sensitivity: Diverse teams are better equipped to navigate complex cultural nuances. Embrace diversity to create content that truly connects! 🌟 #DiversityAndInclusion #EditorialTeams #InclusiveContent #Publishing

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This is important for #communications pros and our subject matter experts to remember. An interview is a conversation not a rote question asked, prepared answer given. Using talking points rather than scripted answers is more effective for a SME and makes for a better interview. Unfortunately that path isn’t taken as often as it should be.

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Worth reading from NiemanLab: Readers prefer to click on a clear, simple headline — like this one By David Markowitz, Hillary Shulman and Todd Rogers In an era when people trust news less than ever, how can journalists break through and attract the attention of average people to provide information about their communities, the nation and the world? By not complicating things. Our research, published in Science Advances, shows that simple headlines significantly increase article engagement and clicks compared with headlines that use complex language. In our research, typical news readers preferred simple headlines over complex ones. But importantly, we found that those who actually write headlines — journalists themselves — did not. We first used data from The Washington Post and Upworthy to see how language features, such as word length and how common a word is, changed how many people clicked on an article’s headline. These datasets included over 31,000 randomized experiments — also known as A/B tests — that compared two or more headline versions of the same underlying article to determine which one generated the most clicks. Headlines with more common words — simple words like “job” instead of “occupation” — shorter headlines, and those communicated in a narrative style, with more pronouns compared with prepositions, received more clicks. For example, The Washington Post headline, “Meghan and Harry are talking to Oprah. Here’s why they shouldn’t say too much” outperformed the alternative headline, “Are Meghan and Harry spilling royal tea to Oprah? Don’t bet on it.” This example illustrates how sometimes a more straightforward headline can generate more interest. In follow-up laboratory experiments, we found that typical news readers focused more on simple rather than complex headlines because the writing was easier to understand. When journalists participated in the same experiments, they didn’t show any preference for simple headlines over complex ones. Put differently: Those who write the news appear to be less responsive to simple writing than regular audiences. Generations of communication consultants have advised that communicators follow the rather crass acronym KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid. We suggest a modified version applied for journalists. Since KISJ isn’t all that simple, we propose: Keep It Simple, Staffers. Simplicity increases the number of people who click on a news story headline and improves reader recall of the material in the article. Most importantly, simplicity boosts reader engagement, such as how much attention they pay to the information.

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Lots of exciting things for 2025! Sign up for my monthly newsletter W.R.I.T.E. Agent on my website at http://SeraRivers.com for news, tips, updates, & more about the craft of writing, the publishing industry, and agenting! #literaryagent #amquerying #amwriting #newsletter

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A robust guide to the language of journalism, from A1 to -30-

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Editing pet peeve: the goofy obsession with the Oxford comma. Oxford enthusiasts—whom I often refer to as "Oxfordnistas"—insist that the serial comma is the ultimate arbiter of clarity and slayer of ambiguity. And they demonstrate this overstated power through a series of reductionist—albeit humorous—memes. Below on the left is one such example. Again, this meme assuredly suggests a moment where a lack of a serial comma may confuse readers. Rather than express a list of the three, the Oxford-less sentence seems to imply an appositive suggesting the exotic dancers are, in fact, Stalin and JFK. But what happens if you change strippers (plural) to stripper (singular). One good contrived strawman argument deserves another, right? On the right is the counterpoint. Here, the sentence with the Oxford comma introduces ambiguity. Is that JFK on stage three collecting singles, or is somebody else? The trick is simple: When in doubt, rewrite. "We invited JFK, Stalin and the strippers." See how this is clearly a list of three? See how I didn't need the comma to do so? Ultimately, the Oxford comma is a stylistic convention, so it is a matter of personal preference. You can also write, "We invited JFK, Stalin, and the strippers." That *also* works. Either way, stop pretending that your prescriptivist take on the Oxford comma is holy writ. #Oxfordcomma

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I’m thrilled to share that public access to @biaskllrAI, is now open. A quick free account and you can be evaluating articles in less time than it takes to read this post. As many of you know, I’ve always been passionate about journalism and the integrity of the information we consume. That’s why myself and a few close friends built biaskllr/AI – to help you see through media bias and get to the heart of the truth. With our AI-powered analysis, you can now test any article and uncover the real story behind the headlines. Our goal? We want to fix the news. The news should be a safe haven for accurate and complete information. It should be accessible to anyone — regardless of your age, background, chosen set of political beliefs. If you have a moment, I kindly ask that you give biaskllrAI a try and support us in our mission. Your feedback would mean the world to me, and it could help us continue to refine and improve our tool. Together, we can restore trust in the news and empower people to make more informed decisions. Feel free to explore, share your thoughts, and spread the word out to your own network. 🌍 Thank you for your support. ✌🏻 🔗 https://biaskllr.ai #MediaLiteracy #Journalism #AI #TruthMatters #AItools #News

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