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Dynamics of Media Writing
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Dynamics of Media Writing
Adapt and Connect

Fourth Edition
August 2025 | SAGE Publications, Inc
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Dynamics of Media Writing gives students transferable skills that can be applied across all media platforms—from traditional mass media formats like news, public relations, and advertising to emerging digital media platforms. Whether issuing a press release or tweeting about a new app, today’s media writers need to adapt their message for each specific media format in order to successfully connect with their audience. Throughout this text, author Vincent F. Filak introduces fundamental writing skills that apply to all media, while also highlighting which writing tools and techniques are most effective for specific media formats and why. User-friendly and loaded with practical examples and tips from professionals across mass media, this is the perfect guide for any student wanting to launch a professional media writing career. The newly revised Fourth Edition features a new chapter centered around artificial intelligence (AI), in addition to highlighting recent developments in writing for websites and blogs, new interviews with working journalists on recent changes in the industry, and updated examples to show success digital media writing strategies.
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Part I: The Basics you Need, Regardless of Field
 
Chapter 1: Know Your Audience
How to Define an Audience

 
Key Questions to Improve Your Connection With Your Audience

 
What Attracts an Audience?

 
How to Make Your Audience Care About Your Content

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 2: Artificial Intelligence
The Basics of Artificial Intelligence

 
How AI Can Help You as a Media Writer

 
The Limitations of Generative AI in Media Writing

 
Best Practices for Using AI Effectively in Media Writing

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 3: Why is Journalism such a Picky Field?
The Fight Against Misinformation

 
Using a Basic Fact Check to Make Sure You Are Sure

 
Where to Find Your Facts

 
Examining the Broader Issues

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 4: Grammar, Style and Language Basics
Why Do Grammar and Style Matter?

 
Sentence Structure

 
Sentence Length

 
Read Your Work Aloud

 
How to Keep Writing Tight and Right

 
Note

 
 
Chapter 5: Basic Media Writing
The “Killer Be’s” of Good Writing

 
The Inverted Pyramid

 
Leads: The Prominence of Importance

 
Types of Leads

 
Problematic Leads and Potential Fixes

 
How to Order the Rest of Your Pyramid

 
Note

 
 
Chapter 6: Interviewing
Interview Preparation

 
Getting the Interview

 
The Pros and Cons of Digital Interviewing

 
Developing Your Interviewing Strategy

 
Additional Techniques to Get More Information

 
Note

 
 
Chapter 7: Writing for Websites and Blogs
Working on the Web

 
Blogging

 
Best Blogging Practices

 
How to Build a Quality Blog Post

 
Axios’ “Smart Brevity” Approach to Content

 
Linking and Other Interactive Elements

 
Engaging Readers

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 8: Social Media
What Does Social Media Do?

 
Why Is Social Media Valuable?

 
Social Media Tools

 
How to Avoid #Fail

 
Building a Social Media Audience

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 9: Law and Ethics in Media Writing
The First Amendment

 
Misconceptions Regarding the Amendment

 
Libel

 
Legal Defenses Against Libel

 
Copyright

 
Ethics and the Media

 
How to Work Through Ethical Dilemmas

 
Determining Your Own Approach to Ethics

 
Notes

 
 
Part II: Focus on News Media
 
Chapter 10: Reporting: The Basics and Beyond
Event Coverage

 
Preparing for the Event

 
How to Cover the Event

 
Beats

 
Reporting Across Other Story Forms

 
Note

 
 
Chapter 11: Writing for Traditional Print News Products
Nuances for Print Writing

 
Quotes

 
Attributions

 
Expanding the Inverted Pyramid

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 12: Writing for Broadcast
Nuances for Broadcast Writing

 
Structure

 
Script Basics

 
Integrating Additional Elements

 
Types of Stories

 
Notes

 
 
Part III: Focus on Marketing Media
 
Chapter 13: Public Relations
Defining PR

 
Types of PR Writing

 
Keys to PR

 
Why the Media Matters

 
Notes

 
 
Chapter 14: Advertising and Marketing
Defining Advertising

 
Brands and Campaigns

 
The Creative Brief

 
Message Formation

 
Writing in Advertising

 
Notes

 
 
Glossary

The perfect book for classes that focus on media writing in a broader sense. While many texts do a good job explaining journalistic writing, Dynamics of Media Writing takes it a step further, showing how good writing applies across multiple media careers, including broadcasting, public relations and social media marketing. Author Vince Filak practices what he preaches, writing this book in journalistic fashion-filled with anecdotes from professionals, grounded in sound research and engaging for the reader.

Joe Dennis
Piedmont University

I've been using Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing for the last several years in my digital media writing class. The textbook is very user-friendly and engaging for students. The layout, visuals and write now exercises make it very interactive. Filak's blog is an additional way to add content to lectures by staying current on the latest in journalism. My class last year was fortunate to have Filak join us via Zoom for a discussion which was really impactful for students to actually talk to the author of their textbook!

Tracy Hemmingway
Lewis University

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