You Can Write a Column (You Can Write It!)

Rating:
Summary: A Brief Review
Review: As an aspiring columnist, I found the book informative and discouraging. Good information on getting started, researching the market, making contacts. Discouraging about availability of opportunity and rates of pay. Disappointing that only three columnists were interviewed for examples, and that one, who writes for free, says he has tactics in place to keep all new people out. Whatever....

Rating:
Summary: A Brief Review
Review: As an aspiring columnist, I found the book informative and discouraging. Good information on getting started, researching the market, making contacts. Discouraging about availability of opportunity and rates of pay. Disappointing that only three columnists were interviewed for examples, and that one, who writes for free, says he has tactics in place to keep all new people out. Whatever....

Rating:
Summary: a basic begining
Review: This is a good but very basic introduction to column writing. I was hoping for more. Still, it seems to be the only thing out there on the subject and it column writing is your dream it would do you well to check this book out.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely helpful for aspiring columnists
Review: This is the first book I've read that walks you through the different aspects of writing and selling a column. It is well thought out and it gives the new and would-be columnist the key information needed to actually succeed as a columnist. You do not feel patronized by an "expert" which happens with some how-to books. You are simply given a good set of tools that you can put to work right away. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Info for Aspiring Columnists
Review: This packs a lot of information into a little over 100 pages. I was particularly impressed with the list of sources in the back, opening some avenues I didn't previously know existed.

I did find it a little disconcerting that after hammering "reasearch your market" home again and again, she chose a few columnists as examples that admittedly stumbled into the business.

I very much liked Part Three "Selling the Column," but found that much of the middle section, "Writing the Column," was too vague and general to be of great use. Some of the information in Part One "Before Beginning" was useful.

Overall, I would say that the information in the third part was well worth the cost of the book. If you are looking to get into this part of the newspaper business, this book may be a great timesaver for you. I think it has given me a head start and a good direction to follow.

In future editions however, I would like to see more specifics on the writing and formatting, and less space devoted to the columnist that is out to stop anyone from getting into his niche. What an egotist! That was two pages and several references wasted. His appears to be a mail order company that uses his column as an outlet, not what most columists are shooting for, I would assume. Although I would wish him the best of luck in his endeavors, personally, I do not feel his addition added anything to this book, whereas the inclusion of the other columnists was very inspirational and informative.