Books that are difficult to read win literary prizes. But if you want everyone to read your work, don’t make it longer than it needs to be. Unnecessary words are being cleaned off a counter top. Illustration by News Decoder. Writers love words. But for every...
Journalism seems old school. But the skills needed to be a good journalist are what many companies want for today’s jobs. A hiring director asks a job candidate if she has experience working with people. (Illustration by News Decoder) This article was produced...
So many news stories put people to sleep. To wake readers up, tell them a little story about one person’s experience. A grandfather telling a story to children. (Photo by Blue Cutler/Getty Images Signature) Has this happened to you? A parent or teacher started...
To inform people you need to first get their attention. In journalism that’s the job of “the lead.” But crafting it is difficult. A man gasps reading a newspaper. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels Journalists are obsessed with leads. That was my...
A small grammatical error can cause a big misunderstanding. But there are many ways your story can be read in a way you didn’t intend. A man is late because he took a bottle of cabernet, instead of a cab. (Illustration by News Decoder.) Have you ever posted...
Investigative reporters make good movie characters. In reality, the work isn’t sexy or exciting. But it is important. And more important, even you can do it. A man wonders if there is something wrong when a factory spews pollution. (Illustration by News Decoder)...
In a world where everyone is talking, sometimes you get more attention when you post or say less. That’s when people want to hear what you have to say. Two wolves wonder what a third wolf is thinking. (Illustration by News Decoder) Here is something...
Writing for a teacher or group of academics is one thing. Now imagine the audience is a group of your friends. Would you write it the same way? A man tells a story to a group of friends. (Illustration by News Decoder based on a photo by bernardbodo for Getty Images)...
We need to fuel the curiosity young people have about the world around them. Let’s unlock the resources they need to be informed citizens of the world. An open padlock on a door. Public domain photo. At News Decoder we believe that information should flow...
To succeed in journalism, and most other careers, you need to be able to meet deadlines. How hard can that be? A reporter struggles to meet a deadline. (Illustration by News Decoder) Journalists, and most other professionals, work under deadlines. That means that they...