Product Description

"... this is surely one of the more thoughtful books on magazine journalism. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal

"An excellent how-to, guaranteed to satisfy requests from would-be authors." -- Booklist

"... provides writers with hundreds of ideas to help stimulate their creative approach to magazine article writing." -- WRITERS' Journal

"All kinds of writers will want to keep this volume on their handiest reference shelf." -- Arts Indiana

"For any aspiring magazine writer, or even a practiced one, this book is a treasury of inspiration and solid, eye-opening instruction." -- Herald-Times

"More than just another writer's guide to marketing an article, or coming up with salable ideas, [the book] is actually an idea promoter in that it illustrates the basic principles of good magazine article writing, uses examples from well-known publications, and offers strategies for leading into an involving piece." -- The Midwest Book Review

In this indispensable text, veteran journalist Peter Jacobi offers students hundreds of ideas to help them become more creative in their approach to thinking, planning, and writing magazine articles. Packed with useful advice and top-notch examples, this book takes a practical, hands-on approach to help beginning writers turn everyday subjects into compelling features.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #596463 in Books
• Published on: 1997-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

From Library Journal
Journalism professor Jacobi focuses on article writing as a creative process as opposed to a way of making money. He notes that insight and deep feeling lead to the best writing, quoting poems and other fine work as examples. Articles are excerpted from varied publications to exemplify how such techniques as information gathering, structuring, exposition, and description have led to successful results. A chapter is devoted to close analysis of two articles, one an investigative expose on arson that appeared in Playboy , the other a major story in Restaurants & Institutions on combatting high labor turnover. A chapter also considers such near relatives of the article as the personal essay and the profile. Not concerned with manuscript mechanics or marketing, this is surely one of the more thoughtful books on magazine journalism. Highly recommended.
- William A. Donovan, Chicago P.L.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Peter P. Jacobi is Professor of Journalism at Indiana University. He is a consultant for magazines, a specialist in speech coaching and media training, and author of several books, including Writing with Style: The News Story and the Feature and The Messiah Book: The Life and Times of G. F. Handel's Greatest Hit.

Customer Reviews

What a disappointment!
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.

Essential reading for the aspiring or established writer
Magazine writing is a breed different from any other journalistic style. Peter Jacobi's book explains and inspires, in plain English, how to captivate readers, remain focused, and appeal to an audience. As important a reference as Elements of Style

A Great Resource!
This book is probably the most focused, practical book on the market. Full of ways to find writing ideas, organize them, and get them down on paper in a captivating way. For anyone searching for a resource written just for writers, you'll find it here. Great book, Peter!