Notes from class on Monday, Oct. 21

Hi everyone,

Great seeing you in class this evening after all this time apart!

Here's a quick follow-up with the info you need for this week's assignments and other general info.

1. I've attached the info sheet for the radio script assignment. Please do a :30 script and get it to me by Friday, Oct. 25. Thanks!

Principles we discussed in class: remember that radio is "theater of the mind" so the best commercials engage a listener's imagination; it MUST fit within the time limit or it's unusable; the best scripts make use of at least two contrasting voices; you should have a call to action (such as a phone number or Web address) at the end, ideally repeated a minimum of three times.

Also, refer to Chapter 10 in the Media Writing book for more details about writing for broadcast.

2. On the Ben & Jerry's book, please read up to the end of Chapter 15. We'll discuss it in class next week and it'll be the basis of a couple of writing assignments to come.

3. For blogs, I'll be in your inbox individually about these. You should have three posts up, and be ready to post something every week from now on through the rest of our class.

4. Business stories: Most are underway, which is great. If you haven't done your interview yet, get that going now. If possible, I would like to get a first draft this week so we have time to go over it prior to Matt Mowry's return to class on Monday, Nov. 4. Deadline for all drafts is Friday, Nov. 1.

5. Reminder: no class on Monday, Nov. 11 due to Veterans Day.

6. Due to missed classes, our mid-term will now be given on Monday, Nov. 18.

Thanks for your patience during the interruption of our expected schedule. I'm looking forward to pushing ahead with our class.

Let me know any questions. See you all next Monday!

Jeff R.

Advance notes for class on Monday, Sept. 16

Sunday night staring at the computer. But I usually wear a shirt.

Hi everyone,

It's Sunday evening and I've been going through the first blog posts.

Nice work overall! I'm looking forward to seeing where all of you go with your topics.

On my end, I've set up a page (on the right) that's a directory of all the blogs.

So now we can easily peek at each other's blogs. That's all part of the fun.

For Monday night's class, here's what's on the docket:

1. Go over last week's quizzes.

2. Go over press release assignments.

3. Talk about Ben & Jerry's book.

4. Update class style guide.

5. Go over next week's writing assignments.

6. Talk about story ideas for Business NH.

7. Look at blogs. What can we learn so far?

8. Quiz!

And maybe some surprises. Come to class and find out.

Also, let me remind you that we've had two classes with 100 percent attendance.

If we have a third class where everyone attends, that would be the first time in my UNH experience.

Of course if a conflict happens or you're ill, use your best judgment. (Let me know if you can't attend.)

But if keeping the streak alive is any kind of incentive, then I'll take it.

See you in class!

Notes on class held Monday, Sept. 9

Oh no! Another postcard!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for a fun class last night. Week 2 already behind us! And on we go...

I'll try to summarize what went down last night. Here goes.

• I reviewed a few updates to the class schedule.

Turns out Veterans Day is Monday, Nov. 11, and UNH is closed that day, so no class for us.

Instead, we have a class added onto the end of the semester. This means our final class will now be Monday, Dec. 16.

Also, no class on Monday, Oct. 7 as I expect to be out of town on that date.

• Matt Mowry of Business NH magazine visited us to speak about the "Young Reporter's" collaboration between his journal and us.

During the semester, we'll work with Matt to write business brief stories that he may choose to run in his publication.

The first step is to be on the lookout for a business that you'd like to write about.

We'll talk more about this in the next couple of classes.

Matt returns on Monday, Sept. 30 for "pitch" sessions in which you'll try to convince him to greenlight your story.

(Yes, "green light" is one word when used as a verb.)

Thanks for welcoming Matt and let him or me know if you have questions. Matt's e-mail is mmowry@businessnhmagazine.com.

• We had some fun analyzing the postcard recipes you all sent in. The message: many barriers will come between you and a reader. Some are physical, like the ink splots and bar codes the post office added to your cards. Others are in your writing itself, including poor sentence organization, disorganized thoughts, and so on. These are just as much barriers to reader comprehension as blindness.

A good lesson to keep in mind, and one to which we'll be returning time and time again.

• Reading assignments for next class: Chapters 4, 5, and 6 in 'The Inside Scoop,' and Chapter 12 in 'Media Writing.'

• Our writing assignment this week is to draft a press release for the 'Fall Down' event described in Chapter 3 of 'The Inside Scoop.'

I've sent out some samples to use as a guide. Try to include all necessary elements in your release, including the -30- at the end.

Would like to get press releases to me no later than end of day on Friday, Sept. 13. Thanks!

• Blogs: please try setting up your blogs and send me the address once you do.

All for now. Will check in later in the week with updates.

Welcome to our class blog!

Hi everyone.

Here's a first post to get us started with our class blog.

This week's class will feature a guest speaker: Matt Mowry, editor of Business NH magazine.

Matt will talk about his job, and also lay the groundwork for a writing project on which we'll work later in the semester.

After that, we'll go over assignments, talk about blogs, and start digging in for the long haul.

And we'll finish with a refreshing, invigorating quiz.

I look forward to seeing you in class!