writing books for reporters, writers and correspondents

Writing Books:
Reporter World provides a variety of safety equipment, identification products, specialized high-visibility clothing, pertinent news, product reviews, book reviews and useful links specifically for reporters, writers, assignment editors, news correspondents, journalists, ENG crews, photographers, production staff, directors, segment producers, media security personnel, and freelancers: in short, anyone who is part of the news gathering, information reporting, or documentary film industries.

This area of the Books section is devoted to providing you with advice, tips and career information about being a reporter, journalist, correspondent, writer, correspondent or screenwriter. By its very nature, this section contains a wide variety of related subjects including journalism, reporting, interviewing, network news, mass media, biography, screenplay, the business of writing, documentaries and feature films.

Amazon.com Logo If you are interested in purchasing a particular book from this section, simply click on the corresponding hypertext link (or on the book itself). A new window will then open up to the applicable secure online merchant. In most cases, this will be the American online book retailer, Amazon.com. As we start offering books and other products specifically for other geographic and cultural markets, we will be adding to our supplier list to include other companies.

We are always looking for additional books that might be of interest to you. If you have any suggestions for other books we should offer, you can reach us by using the address contained in our Terms of Service page, located in the menu on the left. Please supply us as much information as you can about the book including its title, author, ISBN and publisher (if known).


	Whether you write a freelancer polishing your first submission or a daily newspaper column, William Zinsser's On Writing Well should be required reading. Simplicity is Zinsser's mantra: he preaches a stripped-down writing style, strong and clear. In addition to the chapters on the expected -- usage, audience, interviews, leads -- William Zinsser also focuses on such trouble spots as science and technical writing, business writing, sports, and humor. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	My First Year As a Journalist: Real-World Stories from America's Newspaper and Magazine Journalists is a collection of personal accounts describing the first jobs of such high-level journalists as Helen Thomas, the dean of White House correspondents, and Betsy Carter, the executive editor of Harper's Bazaar magazine. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Every year, hundreds of journalists are imprisoned, tortured, and held hostage to bring us the news. In 1999, 34 journalists were assassinated. In Words of Fire: Independent Journalists who Challenge Dictators, Drug Lords, and Other Enemies of a Free Press, author Anthony Collings shares the courageous stories of the men and women who bring us the news from the front lines of our global hot spots, regardless of their personal peril. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Broadcast Writing is a great text that is recommended by the Broadcast Educators Association in its suggested syllabus for courses covering all areas of writing for broadcast including: script writing, news writing and copywriting. This second edition contains expanded material on ethics and careers and has been redesigned so that sample scripts and storyboards will be easier for students to read and comprehend. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	This book introduces journalists to commercial databases, the Internet, and the many other potential uses of computers in journalism. By acquainting readers with the emerging electronic services, the book explains the power these technologies hold for the changing how reporters do their job in the Information Age. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	In Rewriting Network News: Wordwatching Tips from 345 TV and Radio Scripts, Mervin Block dissects over 300 actual television and radio scripts in his quest to illustrate poor, clichéd, inaccurate, sloppy and just plain lazy media writing. Block's editing shows the many mistakes that reporters often serve up as salient news just because they fail to write properly for their audience. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Creative Interviewing helps readers by using examples and anecdotal accounts of actual professional experiences. Readers are provided with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare for and conduct strong interviews, build conversational rapport, and how to cope with the dynamics of a series of interviews on a certain topic. Highly recommended for any professional who wishes to improve their interviewing skills. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	A lot of big-shot journalists didn't like Breaking The News, a systematic tale of woe about the current sad state of American political journalism. For instance, both the New York Times op-ed page and the New Yorker took pains to excoriate the book and its author -- pretty good hints that author, James Fallows is onto something. His point is that greed and intellectual sloth have fostered a political media elite that increasingly focuses on spin and ignores substance. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	The third edition of Writing the News continues the tradition of its predecessors by providing journalists with a clear and concise introduction to the craft of newswriting. Covering all of the essential journalistic skills -- from lead writing and story development to the handling of quotes and feature techniques -- the book offers practical information to anyone involved in print journalism or interested in the rhetoric of news. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	The fifth edition of News Writing and Reporting for Today's Media is a skills oriented approach to news writing and reporting. Its practical, almost handbook, style allows any journalist or journalism student to understand the writing vocation. Author Bruce Itule won the 1999 Freedom Forum Teacher of the Year award for outstanding teaching and it shows in this book. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Broadcast Newswriting: The RTNDA Reference Guide is a comprehensive guide to writing (and rewriting) for broadcasting. They say that writing for broadcasting only has two rules. Rule #1: write the way you talk -- or should talk; and Rule #2: don't forget Rule #1. But author Mervin Block suggests these are only two major rules (and of little help) to working writers. Instead Block suggests 39 key steps to ensuring your writing is the best you can do -- and most sellable. Well-written! Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Line by Line: How to Improve Your Own Writing provides solid information on editing your own writing and therefore, improving your writing for professionals needs. Itself well-written, Line by Line helps you make informed decisions concerning sentence structure, punctuation, and choosing the right words. This book will help guide you through some of the thorniest and most subjective aspects of writing English. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Writing for Television, Radio, and New Media covers the principles, techniques, and approaches of writing for a variety of formats for television, radio, and the Internet. This text includes a variety of formats, including interviews, sports, advertisement, and scripts, as well as news. Provides examples of actual scripts and storyboards that illustrate sound writing techniques and describes differences among various television, film, and radio formats. Click here to purchase copies of this map.

	Today, the very business of news reporting has changed, affected by a communication revolution made possible by the convergent technologies of computer, telephone and TV and manifested in e-mail, SMS, fax, CD-ROM, DVD, huge databases, hypertext and hypermedia, and, of course, the Internet. Media Writing is designed for those who will venture into this new multimedia environment and explores the linkages between print, broadcast and other writing styles. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Through five editions, Writing for the Mass Media remains one of the most clear and efficient introductions to media writing. This successful book offers a simple organization, clear writing, abundant exercises, and precise examples that give readers the information and opportunity to develop their skills as professional writers. Using a workbook-style format, it introduces and explains the major forms of media writing. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	A Journalist's Guide to the Internet is a practical, hands-on book that offers the tools to think about the Internet from a journalistic perspective and provides tactics that will help both the budding and the experienced journalist meet the tightest of deadlines. Readers will find an up-close look at the different elements of the Internet and how they can be used as tools. Electronic mail, mailing lists, newsgroups, and the World Wide Web issues are thoroughly covered. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Writing The Nonfiction Book is a digest of practical tips and practical information on the art and science of writing, producing, and marketing nonfiction books. Whether you're an aspiring author trying to get published, or an experienced professional on your 20th best-seller, Writing The Nonfiction Book has lots of useful information, from determining the marketability of a book concept and creating the manuscript, to finding an agent and securing a publisher. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Bias breaks ranks and names names, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Bernard Goldberg reveals a corporate news culture in which the close-mindedness is breathtaking, journalistic integrity has been pawned to liberal opinion, and "entertainment" trumps hard news every time. In his three decades at CBS, Goldberg repeatedly voiced his concerns to network executives about the often one-sided nature of the news coverage. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	The Understructure of Writing for Film and Television by Ben Brady and Lance Lee decodes the all-important (and often ignored) forms and formats for the different writing environments of film and episodic TV. Illustrated with lots of examples, this book is helpful for writers making the move from one medium to another, or honing their existing skills in their chosen field. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Edited by a professor of journalism and a professor of English literature, this newswriting anthology focuses on the teaching of quality journalistic writing and the ways in which current writers approach the craft of storytelling. Through selected unabridged articles by nationally known writers as well as local journalists, this book investigates the question of how writers take risks--- physical, psychological, stylistic -- in the course of investigating and writing a story. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	This book covers the field of writing for all interactive media including kiosks, computer-based training, CD-ROM, and online services. This is a comprehensive book detailing writing for entertainment, children, science fiction thrillers, documentaries, and assessment programs. It's a comprehensive text for the journalism student, detailing writing for the different multimedia documentaries and instructional programs. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Short and snappy as it is, Stephen King's On Writing really contains two books: a fondly sardonic autobiography and a tough-love lesson for aspiring novelists. The memoir is terrific stuff, a vivid description of how a writer grew out of a misbehaving kid. In his book, King gives you a whole writer's "tool kit": a reading list, writing assignments, a corrected story, and nuts-and-bolts advice on dollars and cents, plot and character, the basic building of a paragraph, and literary models. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft is a step by step guide to writing fiction with many well-designed examples. A must-have for aspiring or existing fiction writers, the book was compiled from presentations at the Maui Writer's Conference and Bob Mayer's Fiction Writer's Toolkit: A Guide To Writing Novels And Getting Published. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Ina Taylor's Teach Yourself Writing Biographies is an excellent book for writers specializing in biographies. In 192 pages, this book takes writers throughout various stages of the biographical process, from the interview to polishing your work. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	In Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, we discover that many of the so-called rules for good writing and good sex are one in the same: keep your hands moving, don't be afraid to lose control, and don't over think the situation. Goldberg brings a touch of both Zen and sensuality to her writing practice, with exercises and anecdotes designed to help you use what you have inside to create writing magic. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Alan Rosenthal's Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Videos is and excellent summation of the documentary process and is one of the best books that starting film makers can read and use to hone their professional work. Rosenthal guides readers through the entire evolution of a documentary from the conception of the idea, writing proposals, dealing with sponsors, locations and crews to distribution to the ethical responsibilities of a director. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	How Not to Write a Screenplay is an invaluable addition to any aspiring screenwriter's shelf -- and you'd best make the shelf within arm's reach of the computer. Author Dean Martin Flinn, an experienced script reader, details the common rookie mistakes that drive script readers crazy. Flinn illustrates almost all his points with excerpts from screenplays both good and bad, giving the reader concrete examples of the difference between poorly and well-structured scenes. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Writing for the screen is quirky business. A writer must labor meticulously over his or her prose, yet very little of that prose is ever heard by filmgoers. The few words that do reach the audience, in the form of the characters' dialogue, are, according to author Robert McKee, best left to last in the writing process. In Story, McKee puts into book form what he has been teaching screenwriters for years in his seminars, which are considered by many to be a prerequisite to the film business. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Working writer/producer Michael Straczynski has revised his classic 1981 text, with updates on fluctuating markets, speculation about opportunities in CD-ROMs and anecdotal stories about Writers' Guild strikes that have occurred in the interval. A handy reference for the novice, since Straczynski covers much basic ground in key areas of writing for film, television, radio, animation and stage. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Edgar Willis' Writing Scripts for Television, Radio, and Film is the third edition of this venerable text outlining the scripting process involved with these three separate media formats. Ideal for all documentary film makers as well as other story tellers, Writing Scripts is recommended to anyone studying or polishing their writing craft. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Written in plain English, The Successful Writer's Guide to Publishing Magazine Articles gives you the latest trends, how-to instruction, and marketing essentials necessary to successfully write for the 13,000 plus periodicals published in the US. Whether you're an experienced writer struggling with drafts, submissions, rejects and contracts or someone just starting one, this book offers a systematic business approach to every aspect of the writing craft from topic to publishing. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	How does a spec script differ from a shooting script? What kind of fasteners should one use to bind a script? How did the term MOS come to mean without sound? You'll find the answers to these pressing questions and much more in David Trottier's eminently usable Screenwriter's Bible. The avuncular Trottier -- a writer-producer, script consultant, and seminar leader -- has written a friendly guide through the Hollywood morass. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Kirsten Holm's door-stoppingly thick Writer's Market provides about the best bang for your buck if you're looking to place your writing. The 2003 edition boasts listings for 1400 consumer magazines, 450 trade magazines, 1100 book publishers and 200 script buyers. You'll also find insider reports on writing for more specialized titles such as women's magazines and sports magazines; articles on public relations writing, script treatment, e-queries, pay rates, and online markets. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Now, you can access up-to-the-minute market information, any day, at any time. With Writer's Market Online, you'll get the 2003 print edition of "the freelance writer's bible," and a one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com -- an extraordinary Web site that provides: Submission Tracker (to stay on top of publishing contacts, contracts and submissions); more markets than could fit in the book; and customized search capabilities by keyword, market type, pay scale, and more. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	If you write fiction, the 2003 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market is the first, crucial step to your publishing success. Inside you'll find completely updated market entries for book publishers, magazines, literary agents, contests and script houses, plus brand new information on e-publishers, including interviews with industry experts, editors of e-magazines and more! No matter what kind of fiction you write, this book can help you get your work in print. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Get your stories and art published with the 2003 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, your one-stop resource for getting your work into the hands of children everywhere. You'll find the details you need to make successful contact with book and magazine publishers, plus greeting card, puzzle and game companies, each one looking for work from artists and authors. Also includes useful guidelines for writing query letters, getting an agent, attending conferences, workshops and more. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	In The Media Writer's Guide, author Van Nostran combines his Scriptwriter's Handbook and Scriptwriter's Workbook to form a single worktext on writing for new media, including multimedia, interactive video, and education and corporate film and video. Focusing on writing for business and education, The Media Writer's Guide assesses the role of the corporate, medical and institutional media writer in a world of constantly evolving media applications. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print and Sell Your Own Book is considered a bible on self-publishing. Highly recommended by virtually everyone in the industry -- even by others who have written similar references -- this book offers step-by-step instructions for producing a best-selling book. Poynter shares is vast knowledge on researching, publishing, working with printers, establishing credit, discount and return policies, promotion, and marketing. Excellent! Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	Everyone who wants to write for television could use A Friend in the Business. Robert Masello can be that friend. He's an award -- winning journalist, author, and successful TV writer. Now he's sharing the insider secrets he learned the hard way such as how to find someone to read your spec script; protecting your ideas; bagging a good agent; landing a staff job--and keeping it; keeping full credit for your work--in the office and on the screen; choosing the right collaborator; and more. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

	If you want to be active in the film writing industry -- whether its in features, shorts or documentaries -- the ninth edition of the Film Writers Directory is a key reference fro you. Inside its 700 pages, you'll find a film writers at a glance section, full filmographers of hundreds of active writers; notable writers of the past; film title index; and a full list of academy award winners and nominees. Click here to purchase copies of this book.

End of the Writing Books page.