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.�Magazines,�like�newspapers,�have�their�own�styles�or�personalities.�Part�of�this�is�the�look,�or�graphics�of�the�magazine,�but�the�other�major�part�is�the�writing�style.�Magazine�writing�generally�is�in�essay�form�with�longer,�more�fully�developed�paragraphs.�Usages�are�more�formalized,�also.�This�subject�gets�more�attention�in�later�chapters.Despite�occasional�changes�in�established�publications�or�the�debut�of�completely�new�ones,�you�will�find�that�magazine�writing�itselfPage�18tends�to�be�somewhat�constant.�After�all,�good�writing�is�good�writing.�Magazine�articles,�generally,�do�tend�to�be�more�descriptive�and�detailed�than�newspaper�writing,�but�this�is�partly�due�to�the�additional�space�given�to�major�features�in�magazines.�And,�as�noted�earlier,�these�articles�are�a�bit�more�subjective�as�writers�offer�their�perspectives�on�the�subject.Just�remember�that,�regardless�of�the�writing�approach�and�topic,�you�will�find�the�magazine�industry�to�be�quite�different�from�what�it�once�was.�Individuals�beginning�careers�as�magazine�writers�in�the�post�war�1940s�and�1950s�found�general�interest�magazines�flourishing.�Due�to�the�influences�of�television�and�other�mass�media�influences�on�society,�leisure�time�demands�are�quite�different�two�generations�later.�To�meet�this�challenge,�magazines�began�to�specialize.�Your�writing�challenge�is�to�handle�specialized�subjects�with�the�authority�of�an�expert.�This�is�still�another�reason�magazine�feature�writing�differs�so�much�from�newspaper�feature�writing.AMERICA'S�LEADING�MAGAZINESEach�spring,�the�American�Society�of�Magazine�Editors�presents�its�National�Magazine�Awards,�known�as�"Ellies,"�for�excellence�in�magazine�publishing.�To�be�honored�signifies�that�a�publication�has�reached�the�top�of�its�class.�The�awards�are�often�referred�to�as�the�"Oscars"�of�the�magazine�industry.In�1997,�Vanity�Fair�was�named�for�"general�excellence"�among�the�nation's�largest�magazines.�Outside,�Wired,�and�I.D.�(formerly�known�as�Industrial�Design)�magazines�also�were�recognized�for�general�excellence�in�smaller�circulation�groups.The�awards�were�also�presented�for�specific�categories.�New�Yorker,�long�admired�in�the�industry�for�its�overall�quality,�was�honored�for�essays/criticism�and�fiction.�The�feature�writing�category�was�won�by�Sports�Illustrated.�Other�top�publications�and�the�categories�in�which�they�were�recognized�were�Smithsonian�(special�interests),�Outside�(reporting),�Fortune�(public�interest),�I.D.�(design),�National�Geographic�(photography),�Scientific�American�(single�topic�special�issue),�Money�Online�(general�excellence�for�new�media),�and�Glamour�(personal�service).Since�1966,�when�the�"Ellies"�were�first�presented,�New�Yorker�has�won�21�of�these�awards.�National�Geographic�has�won�eight,�and�Outside�has�won�six�(Blinkhorn,�1997~�Carlson,�1997~�Colford,�1997).Page�19Feature�Writing�for�NewslettersDespite�a�billion�dollar�revenue�stream�and�tens�of�thousands�of�employees,�newsletters�have�not�always�been�given�recognition�in�the�publishing�business�(Nelson�&�Danis,�1995).�The�industry�is�quite�fluid�and�ripe�with�opportunities.�Some�newsletters�have�grown�larger�than�some�newspapers�and�magazines�in�terms�of�circulation�and�staff�size,�although�most�are�quite�small.�The�NIAF�News,�for�instance,�is�the�newsletter�of�the�National�Italian�American�Foundation.�It�circulates�about�20,000�copies�six�times�a�year�to�individuals�interested�in�their�Italian�American�heritage.�The�Washington,�DC�based�newsletter�has�found�a�major�market�with�content�that�"discusses�national�and�international�news�concerning�Italians,�particularly�Italian�Americans"�(Gagn�,�1997,�p.�684).�The�newsletter�includes�regular�features�about�research,�books,�member�profiles,�and�a�calendar�of�events.�The�newsletter�is�provided�to�members�of�the�foundation.�Newsletters�such�as�the�NIAF�News�have�existed�for�as�long�as�newspapers�and�magazines,�but�they�are�enjoying�a�growing�role�in�mass�communication�today.�Newsletters�mean�new�and�growing�markets�for�feature�writers.�Many�newsletters�are�produced�by�comparatively�small�staffs�and�need�both�talented�staff�writers�and�freelance�writers.Just�about�everyone�reads�a�newsletter�of�some�sort�on�a�regular�basis.�Some�might�even�come�to�you,�your�business,�or�your�family�residence�unsolicited.�Newsletters�are�necessary�because�they,�like�newspaper�and�magazines,�contain�news�and�information�(Greenberg,�1992).�Newsletters�are�highly�specialized,�reflecting�the�interests�of�members�of�groups,�clubs�and�organizations,�institutions,�and�other�entities�that�need�to�communicate�information.�Newsletters�give�members�of�organizations�information�and�sense�of�belonging.�Newsletters�sell.�They�inform.�They�motivate.�"Successful�newsletters�convey�specialized�information�to�narrow�markets,"�wrote�newsletter�industry�executive�Goss�(1988,�p [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]