The Idea Farm's Blog

15 Best Writing Blogs for Writer’s to Follow These are some of the best writing blogs from thousands of blogs throughout the internet. These blogsites offer varied information from grammar to submitting your work to publishers. They are helpful to up-and-comers as well as more established writers. 1.   Daily Writing Tips Daily Writing Tips - Daily Writing Tips as the name suggests publishes daily articles to help writers enhance their skills. Daily articles on grammar, business writing, spelling, misused word s, writing basics, writing quizzes, vocabulary, punctuation, fiction writing, freelance writing, and more! 2. Writer's Digest Magazine | Write Better, Get Published, Be Creative New York, US Writer's Digest is the No. 1 resource for learning better writing and getting published. Writer's Digest seeks to inspire and inform writers and help them succeed in all their publishing endeavors. 3. Advice to Writers | Writing Advice Blog Los Angeles, California, US 4. Live Wri...

Obtaining permission to use text involves a four-step process:  1. You must clearly and specifically identify what material you want to use and how you want to use it. Your first stage is to identify the material you want to use and the rights you will need. Commercial Use : If you are seeking permission to use text on behalf of an advertising agency or a company selling a product or service, your use is more likely to be categorized as a commercial endorsement, which will trigger additional legal issues.  2. You must send a permission request letter to the publisher or rights holder. Your permission request letter should give the details about the text you want to use, how you expect to use it, and the permission you want. There are two different types of request letters you can use: • One simply informs the rights holder of your needs and expectations that you and the rights holder will later complete and sign a separate permission agreement. • The other serves as both a...

  If you are a professor or graduate student, you know more about your field of study than most of the writers giving written sermons on opinion pages, Quora pages, Sub-Redditt’s, Twitter feeds, and possibly bookshelves right now. Your research and education informs your point of view. You know what you’re writing about — but commentators might know better how to write for a general audience. This means that the voices who have the most to contribute to public discourse are often getting drowned out. If this is something you struggle with, here are some writing tips to reach a broader audience: Don’t approach your introduction like it’s the warm-up before you get to the good stuff. Approach it like your only chance to attract your reader into your thoughts. Your lead is your opportunity to engage your reader: You’re conveying that your words are worth the reader’s effort. If you have writer’s block, look at the opening paragraphs of a practiced columnist, someone like Maureen Dowd ...

Writing is a means to communicate with a global audience. But how does one manage to write successfully for a broad audience when creating content? Below are some strategies or tips to correct common errors when creating content. The Hurried Edit Everyone has time management concerns and maybe you’ve reread your piece so many times that you’re confident you’ve caught all the mistakes. But taking enough time to thoroughly proofread your post or article is critical. It is essential to good writing. Understand the importance of formatting The structure of your post is important in holding a reader’s attention. Many readers scan or skim articles rather than read them word for word. A big block of text makes this habit difficult and may repel readers.  Tips:  Use bullets and numbered lists when appropriate. These formats are easy to scan and keep readers engaged with the text. Edit to ensure you have relevant information in your article Format links effectively Keep paragraph...

Kevin Palomino - Journalism Scholarship Winner WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2023 -- The National Press Club, the leading professional organization for journalists, has chosen  Kevin Palomino  of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the recipient of its Lewis Scholarship for Spring 2024. The scholarship provides housing and a $4,000 stipend to support a student journalist of color interning at a news media outlet in Washington, D.C. Established in 2022, The Lewis Scholarship was founded by the family of former Washington correspondent Robert "Bob" D.G. Lewis. It is awarded to one undergraduate student journalist of color each fall, spring, and summer semester. Students must secure a journalism internship in Washington, D.C., to be eligible, along with  other requirements . "The Lewis Scholarship provides me with an opportunity to grow as a journalist," Palomino said. "During my internship this spring, I plan to use my lived experiences as a first-generation DACA student to diver...

  According to a NewsLab study, 80% of journalists use social media in their daily work 1 . Journalists told us that they’re using social media to complete a variety of work-related tasks, including story promotion, networking, sourcing information, and receiving PR pitches. Naturally, time management becomes a challenge and social media burnout is imminent. On top of the rising demand for content output, journalists are expected to be always listening and always engaging. Monitoring the latest news and user-generated content and promoting their own stories on social media can take up a large amount of time in a journalist’s day.   So how can journalists find and maintain a balance between staying on top of the latest news, connecting with their audience, and getting everything else accomplished? When you’re checking social media platforms daily for your job, how can you tell when you’ve reached your mental limit? To help you recognize some signs of social media burnout a...