Author: Sreelata Menon
“A story must accomplish something and arrive somewhere”-Mark Twain
And in the course of that journey following some rules or perfecting a style may not come amiss at all!
Styles
But style comes naturally to you? Sure it does.
You have the talent and the creativity. And the language! But do you have the skills to put them down the way they want it? How they like it? For what they pay you for? We are not talking natural flair here but editorial writing styles.
If you do, you are truly blessed! But even if you don’t, it isn’t too difficult to hone your skills and create your own style within the framework of the format required. For that, it is imperative to familiarize oneself with the different editorial styles of writing favored by publications, magazines and newspapers the world over. And there-in perhaps lies the difference between a good writer and an awesome one. To know what to use where and how to use when is an acquired art, it doesn’t necessarily come naturally. Agonizing over Favor or Favour, unique phraseologies or required format –presentations is a thing of the past! There are style guides that tell you how to go about it.
Why can’t it be you?
There are any number of magazines, newspapers, journals, websites, publishers that require some one to write for them. Why can’t it be you? Bone up on the editorial styles and topics they favor and get a head start. Make sure it isyou. Once you are clued up on what is required, writing becomes a breeze! You will know that what works for the Economist will not necessarily work for Good Housekeeping nor a hip hop style in pidgin for The Guardian or The Times. Similarly academia and lifestyle! And the more you write the more creative you become. And yes, fewer the rejections!
The Web
Writing for the web is entirely different from writing for the print media. People don’t read but scan the net! The written word here is just a tool to garner information. Information they need quickly and urgently. The keywords- brevity and simplicity with a touch of humor perhaps! They head the list while writing for the web. Nobody pores over a web page as one does over a book! Once again the principle of the KISS ought to work for you here.
Style guides for various countries and for the web are available on the net and can easily be downloaded
Some popular styles favored by publications that might help you in your quest.
United States
- The APA-American Psychological Association Style-preferred by academics
- The MLA-Modern Language Association-recommended for the print media
- The Chicago Manual of Style
- The Economist Style Guide
- The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage
United Kingdom
- BBC News Style Guide
- Oxford Style Manual
- The Guardian Style Guide.
The Internet
- Columbia Guide to Online Style
- Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Writers.
- http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
The Elements of Style –William Shrunk and E.B White
The English language- enjoy this link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnHv7NGWb0k
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