I'm always intrigued by new services online ... this one shows some interesting potential for the podcaster, but in a different way. The service actually offers anyone the opportunity to create their own online talk show, on their own schedule and gives them a blogging format to post articles and other information as well!
It's very interesting and I've heard some good things about it, so I set up an account for A5 Media (the umbrella company for all of my Internet endeavors) and hope to have my first show going very soon. I will keep you updated, but for now you can check out my show at the link below:
Internet Product and Services News and Reviews
Showing posts with label Citizen Journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Citizen Journalism. Show all posts
Friday, July 18, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Grammar in The Wrong Hands Can Be Dangerous
As a writer of web content, I'm going to take a minute to vent here. After all, if I can't do it here, where can I do it? OK, so there is your fair warning - this post isn't necessarily about working from home or fatherhood ... deal with it.
What has happened to the grammatical standards of the English language? Perhaps the Internet and all of it's fast-paced slang abbreviations killed it. Maybe, just maybe, we allowed it to die because nobody really held an interest in keeping it alive anymore.
I write for several places online, and am endeavoring to break into the offline markets as well. My concern for the future of English grammar comes from these writing experiences. Many times I have seen copy editors just ignore grammar issues an approve stuff anyway. That is disconcerting enough. However, when I see copy editors actually make corrections that are wrong and publish them to a group of people - hold the phone, we've got real issues now!
Not only does this impact the person who wrote the piece, but it also impacts everyone who is "learning" from this editor's feedback. While the editor's job should be to make corrections and bring things up to speed - all the while training folks, it doesn't always happen this way. So what happens when an editor gets it wrong and actually pushes the "correction" out to his staff? A group of people have just become more ignorant of proper grammar and are farther behind the writer's curve for having listened to him.
Now you know the reason for the title of my post. Grammar in the wrong hands truly can be dangerous. My only question now is how to communicate the truth to the copy editor without getting slapped in my wallet.
What has happened to the grammatical standards of the English language? Perhaps the Internet and all of it's fast-paced slang abbreviations killed it. Maybe, just maybe, we allowed it to die because nobody really held an interest in keeping it alive anymore.
I write for several places online, and am endeavoring to break into the offline markets as well. My concern for the future of English grammar comes from these writing experiences. Many times I have seen copy editors just ignore grammar issues an approve stuff anyway. That is disconcerting enough. However, when I see copy editors actually make corrections that are wrong and publish them to a group of people - hold the phone, we've got real issues now!
Not only does this impact the person who wrote the piece, but it also impacts everyone who is "learning" from this editor's feedback. While the editor's job should be to make corrections and bring things up to speed - all the while training folks, it doesn't always happen this way. So what happens when an editor gets it wrong and actually pushes the "correction" out to his staff? A group of people have just become more ignorant of proper grammar and are farther behind the writer's curve for having listened to him.
Now you know the reason for the title of my post. Grammar in the wrong hands truly can be dangerous. My only question now is how to communicate the truth to the copy editor without getting slapped in my wallet.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Networking and Writing
Ah, where to begin. The journey never really ends, does it? I've renewed my personal interest in building a network of readers - either through my blog on topics of religious interest, or my articles that I am going to write on everyday events and issues as a citizen journalist.
You see, everything is going great over on my full-time gig. No problems. So why am I going to start stepping out and doing freelance stuff on the side? Well, as the old saying goes, I don't want to have all of my eggs in one basket.
At heart, I really do believe I have it in my to be a writer. Granted, a lot of my writing style is very conversational and opinionated. I don't know if I can stick to the facts and garner a following as a reputable citizen journalist without wavering into the passion zone of my writing, so-to-speak. I really want to continue this blog, and develop an outlet for my other articles as well.
I've taken another look at Associated Content, Helium as well as another writing gig that I've signed up for - Natural News. None of these are paying big bucks, although Helium does have a marketplace section where real publishers are paying decent money for articles that are picked out of the crowded competition. Of more interest to me over there right now is their current involvement with the Pulitzer prize people as well as the National Press Club. Now there are two groups that it would pay to be associated with as a writer!
Keep your eyes on the blog here, and I will be passing along my profile(s) as well as a link (or two) to my writing outlet blogs. Hopefully you're up for the ride ...
You see, everything is going great over on my full-time gig. No problems. So why am I going to start stepping out and doing freelance stuff on the side? Well, as the old saying goes, I don't want to have all of my eggs in one basket.
At heart, I really do believe I have it in my to be a writer. Granted, a lot of my writing style is very conversational and opinionated. I don't know if I can stick to the facts and garner a following as a reputable citizen journalist without wavering into the passion zone of my writing, so-to-speak. I really want to continue this blog, and develop an outlet for my other articles as well.
I've taken another look at Associated Content, Helium as well as another writing gig that I've signed up for - Natural News. None of these are paying big bucks, although Helium does have a marketplace section where real publishers are paying decent money for articles that are picked out of the crowded competition. Of more interest to me over there right now is their current involvement with the Pulitzer prize people as well as the National Press Club. Now there are two groups that it would pay to be associated with as a writer!
Keep your eyes on the blog here, and I will be passing along my profile(s) as well as a link (or two) to my writing outlet blogs. Hopefully you're up for the ride ...
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