The Magazine Article: How to Think It, Plan It, Write It

Rating:
Summary: Peter Jacobi knows his stuff!
Review: I'm halfway through this book and already have found ways to improve my writing. Copious examples that detail the text. I particulairly found the topic of story structure interesting - something which I had no previous knowledge.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite sure
Review: Maybe I just didn't "get it." More likely my expectations were different than what the author intended. I was expecting "hundreds of ideas to spark my creativity" but got the same number of examples from Harpers, New Yorker, WSJ, Time and just about every other publication known to man, or so it seems. Yes I read some good, actually great, writing examples, but it never came together nor did I get the points being made. Perhaps I'll let it sit on the shelf a while and try again another day. For now, my recommendation is to pick up "How to Write Articles for Newspapers and Magazines" - more information in half the number of pages.

Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: This book was totally the opposite of what I was expecting - namely, practical down-to-earth steps in preparing a magazine article. Instead, it was filled with samples that could be called "motivational" but not the practical tips I seeking. I found the "Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" by Jean Frederette to be much more of the nuts and bolts that I was looking for. Perhaps a more experienced writer would appreciate the powerful examples in this book; however, as a novice I need to know more tecnique than theory. My book will be shoved to the back of the bookcase for now.