Written by The following comes from Bruce Porter. It’s rare that a journalism prof. will offer advice in the form of lists, but he has been teaching at Columbia and Brooklyn college long enough to know how to get important ideas across succinctly.
1. Don’t be literary or lyrical
If it makes you feel like Walt Whitman inside you are probably being too self-conscious and that comes across in the writing. Aka, it’s crap.
2. Be specific: Don’t go into detail about the “blue sky” and the “white clouds.” Readers know what color the sky is, so don’t describe it for them. It’s the oddities that paint a scene. If you are describing a diner, don’t write about the booths and the counter. Mention the ketchup stain on the window or the cheeky writing in the men’s bathroom.
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