March 2009

  • Seattle P.I. Goes Web-Only

    By msarko on 3/17/09 9:44am
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    After 146 years in print, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has officially ceased producing hard copy periodicals. The March 17th 2009 issue of the P.I. marks the end of an economically troubled period in the publication's history.

    The Post-Intelligencer began in 1863 as the Seattle Gazette. After a rocky start and an initial failure, the paper came under new ownership as the Weekly Intelligencer. By the 1880's the W.I. merged with the Seattle Post to become the Post-Intelligencer. In the 1920's, William Randolph Hearst's news giant, the Hearst Corporation, took over the P.I. and it has run it ever since. HC's ownership lent the previously liberal paper a decidedly conservative voice, even going so far as to frustrate the Roosevelt family's ties to its editorial staff in the 1940's.

    The Post-Intelligencer, like so many print publications of today, has been hemorrhaging finance since the turn of the century. For nearly a decade the Hearst Corporation has carried the P.I. at a loss.

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  • The Blog Tour

    By sparklyscotty on 3/9/09 12:02am
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    I have done all kinds of writing in my professional life, but one of the things that attracts me to creating copy for the web is the way that new mediums spring up and evolve.  I am constantly trying to keep up with progress and incorporate new ways of communication into my portfolio of services.   What started as just writing copy for web pages, now includes email newsletters,  blogs, article directory marketing, and social media promotion.  Now social communication seems have reached fever pitch with everyone Tweeting, updating their status bars on Facebook and Myspace and sharing their browsing habits through services such as Bebo, Digg and Sphinn.

    Keep up with the times is challenging, but also exciting.

    Ironically, as getting your message out there becomes easier, getting it noticed becomes more difficult.   Putting your company's website on page 1 on Google for your search term takes time, expertise, expense and if I am honest, a little luck.  One technique that I use to try to gain some exposure and traffic for my clients is through cross promotional blog posts.  Blog marketing is becoming a hot way to reach potential customers, and with good reason:  it is free, friendly

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  • Great Writer Sites: Annette Fix

    By sparklyscotty on 3/8/09 12:10am
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    Once upon a time there were three writers...

    ... the first writer never had a writing website.  He said that he didn't think it would bring him in clients,  that it was too hard or expensive to create a website, and that he would rather continue to email his clips, samples, resume and cover letter by mail or email.  He spent hours putting his job applications together, and when someone asked for his contact information he would duly hand over his phone number and email address. When someone searched for him online, they found a random assortment of quotes and clips from all over the web but no central place to find information about his portfolio, experience or even interests.

    ...

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  • Using your W skills

    By sparklyscotty on 3/6/09 11:41pm
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    Anyone who has taken a writing course, or even spent a little time on writing sites, will be familiar with the 'who, what, when, where, why' method of writing. While this rule of thumb is most quoted for journalistic writing to make sure that all of the important points are conveyed in the leading paragraph of a news story, inverting this rule is a great way to stregnthen any type of writing.

    Whether you are writing a novel, creating copy for a company website, or posting to a blog,  keep these five 'W's in mind to keep your writing relevant, fresh and focus.

    When
    Steeping your characters in the details of when their story takes place can add a sense of immediacy and create depth for any fictional or factual writing.

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  • Bloggers Unite

    By sparklyscotty on 3/5/09 11:40pm
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    I have talked before about being a responsible writer , and here is a great opportunity to really use your blogging skills to make a difference.

    Bloggers Unite started as a community concept at Blog Catalog,  and encouraged members to band together on one day to promote a specific cause.  Raising awareness, educating and encouraging action are vital to any charitable cause,  and blogs are a great grass-roots platform to reach thousands of people around the globe.

    You can choose from any of the scheduled events organized and already listed at the site, or create your own to promote a cause that is close to your heart.   As of when this was posted there were 43 events listed, but watch the number soar into the hundreds in the very near future.  The events are neatly organized into

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  • Journalism: A Social Art

    By msarko on 3/3/09 6:32pm
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    A lot of writers tend to look at their work as being a solitary pursuit. Much of the actual pen-to-page labor doesn't involve interaction with other people, so this may be true for authors and poets. Journalism is an entirely different animal. While a career in journalism begins and ends with the ink, there is an undeniable social component in the middle. As such, there are certain skills beyond word-crafting that can make or break one's life as a member of the Fourth Estate.

    Image is Everything

    In the field, there is no story if no one will talk to you. Being taken seriously as a journalist by the people who live the stories you cover is essential. When approaching someone for a quote, a reaction or an interview it is important that you look like a professional. Leave the t-shirts, the jeans and the ratty sneakers at home. When you're on the job, consider the entire world to be your office.

    It's also surprising how far the right paraphernalia can take you.

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