The Missing Art Of Traditional Writing

I opened up a facebook page for my group of Medical College and closely see that it expected the Viewer to act on inviting phrases: ' write something '.

Before I answer I happen to play with these words for a while. The phrase seems to be a flaw with the literal for me. It must be said ... ' Type ' of something and not writing. A few years ago when writing with a pen became a habit for most writers (as PCs and laptops that are affordable for most), people often say ' write ' (i.e., using a pen and paper) and say ' type ' when using a typewriter.

Just today I came across an interesting story from the book ' the continent Of Circe ' by Nirad c. Chaudhuri. Once, his friend, the writer Khushwant Singh has lent her new typewriter was a friend, a talented Bengali poor economy. All was good until the name Khushwant Chaudhuri in an interview as one of the writers who like to read. But this is not without salt. He said, "the poor he can't even buy a typewriter,! So I had to lend him one. " Nirad dumbfounded that his country's poverty made into delicious dishes for the readers. So this ' poor ' Benglee his last possessions were stripped of ... his pride and prestige. After reading this story, I realized that the ' writing ' on a typewriter isn't so rare then.

But because the gentlemen who ' write ' (not typed) in the United Kingdom, it may. Vernacular writers I think till date choose to write (literature with pen and paper). But, if we are talking about people in General, in the current time, it is still true because now the term has become a synonym. How many of us actually writing a letter or even a post card with birthday wishes handwriting strokes of our emotions?

Life has come on fast forward mode for the most part, the communications explosion has connected people with the click of a mouse, and one can communicate with the ' number of n '-a desirable desk in a fraction of a second. Of course, it is now customary to invite relatives and friends via mail (via the internet) rather than take trouble completing the long, exhausting, organized way to write dozens of letters to many people, and then fix them with gum (very often we see most of the fixtures barely noticeable at home when needed) before dropping them in the mail a mile away, hoping at least half of them will reach their destination in time. All this suffering has become a thing of the past, thanks to modern technology.

This morning, a Sunday, I had the chance to chat leisurely with 80-year-old who is a good listener. I reveal how the charm of seeing old letters and manuscripts is gradually growing rare and rarely last more than a decade. One can find many hidden gems in the papers ... like the quality of handwriting, mood and character of the person when writing it (whether it's perfect, organized, calming, or vice-versa). In the script of Tagore is usually we see that the author used to convert invalid section of the line, the words or the full column to a variety of people who have a unique art form. It added to the charm of the main stream of his poetic creations and themes. Whether the Tagore sitting with a computer with software to make Bengali poetry Avro (I should know about software from my dear friend Siddhartha I dear m. address as ' Sidhdha Mukh ' and most of all, he doesn't mind it being used and ... can be abused by me), how on earth would this gem fell out of his fingers (instead of ' hand ' ... again, I try to be ' honest ' clinical as we use the entire hand in writing and only the fingers while typing). We will, as a result only get part of it through the genius of modern techniques of ' writing '. It will be an abject-dina products that very 'un-Tagorian '.

The point is, with the all-round construction of us unconsciously accepted typing and writing as a synonym. But in this case the smooth transformation of the norm and practice a lot of the charm has been lost which bore a sense of humanity which includes qualitative dimension of inspiring and thought-provoking (like the colorful Rainbow). What we have to offer in its place is flavorless, dull, stereotyped, charmless, colorless method of expression.

Copy Editor Salary

Copy editing is a much sought-after profession today, thanks to the growth of the online publications. Besides the websites, copy editors today find employment in book publishing houses, newspapers, magazines, advertising firms and production houses. Sometimes, they may be employed by universities, businesses and government agencies as well. Freelance copy editing is taken up by those who want to work on a variety of projects with a number of companies. If you too are contemplating a career in this field, given below is the job description followed by the average salary to expect in this field.

Job Description

Let's start with the job profile of this media job before moving on to know about the copy editor wages. When a writer produces a manuscript, he sends it to a copy editor for checking. Copy editors review the manuscript and look for mistakes in it. Grammar, spelling, facts of the content, punctuation, content clarity - these all are the main things that a copy editor checks amongst many others. There are some basic rules of editing with regards to punctuation, spellings, etc which may vary from one company to another. A copy editor, while doing editing, follows these rules, which are referred to as "house style" in the publishing industry. Thus, the main job of a copy editor is to make corrections and suggest changes in a manuscript so as to improve it's readability.

To get into this profession, a college degree in any of the fields such as English language, communication or journalism is required. However, there is no hard and fast rule for this and it differs from organization to organization. Nevertheless, a strong hold over the language is a pre-requisite, besides good writing and computer skills. You may further go to how to become an editor. These days, due to the Internet, copy editors are able to perform their work from home itself, especially the freelance copy editors. In some work profiles, copy editors may be required to work on weekends or late at night to meet deadlines.

Salary Range

In the year 2011, the copy editor salaries range anywhere between $30, 309 and $ 50, 148. The salary of a copy editor depends upon a number of factors, such as the location of the job, the number of years of experience a person has in this profession as well as the industry a copy editor is employed in. For instance, the salary of a newspaper copy editor will be any day higher than those working for book publishers. If you compare location wise, currently, the newspaper copy editor salaries range from $42, 476 in Dallas, Texas to $ 72, 375 in Manhattan, New York.

The salary of a medical copy editor ranges from approximately $29, 934 to $ 67, 463. Those with less than a year of experience in this field can expect up to $ 48, 980. While those with more than ten years of experience can expect anywhere between $ 45, 125 to $ 67, 463. As for the freelance copy editor, the salary is usually fixed on hourly basis and varies from project to project. For basic freelance copy editing jobs, a person can expect anything from $20 and above. While for jobs such as developmental copy editing or doing layouts for books, a person can expect as high as $ 80-85, per hour. Along with the salary, sometimes copy editors may be given a share in profits as well.

The job of a copy editor has good career prospects as the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast that it is going to grow by eight percent between 2008 and 2018. As for growth opportunities in this career, a copy editor with experience in original writing can become a newspaper editor or a managing editor.

Publicist Salary

When you think of a celebrity, there is a particular image that comes to your mind. How do you think that a celebrity forms that image? Although a lot of it has to do with his actions and behavior in his private and public life, yet, there are some professionals who are actually hired to build a persona, an image of the celebrity in the people's eyes. These professionals are known as publicists.

Whether it's a famous sports person or a film star, they are a brand as far as the advertisers are concerned! This means that the more positive image this brand has, the more beneficial it is for the celebrities themselves as well as the advertisers. This is where the publicists come in. They use the mass media, be it newspaper, television or Internet, to circulate the latest happenings in a celebrity's life, to keep him in the public eye and to make him likable and popular amongst the public. Scroll down to know in detail what does a publicist do, the qualifications and skills needed to be a success in this profession as well as the average salary.

Job Description
As mentioned earlier, a publicist's primary work is to ensure that his client remains in the public eye for all the right reasons. For this, a publicist performs a number of functions. He writes emails to the journalists about some specific incidents in his client's life. A relationship break-up, a new assignment, celebrity's travels and holidays, the functions and events he attends - all such news are circulated in the media by a publicist.

A publicist is not only hired by celebrities, but by corporates too. A business needs to project a positive image in the public and media as it is goodwill and trust which will strengthen it's customer base in the long run. News about any social service done by the company's executives or the launch of a new product/service in the market or the business's huge profits and turnover - these are all supplied to the media by the company's publicist.

Writing emails to journalists and updating them about some new stories on his clients, arranging for interviews of his clients with the media persons, drafting press releases, building relationships with the journalists, organizing events for his clients or making arrangements for him to be part of a relevant event, managing the fan clubs and fan sites, looking after his client's schedule - these all fall under the purview of the job description. In lieu of all these jobs, the salary of a publicist is quite good.

Average Salary
A publicist is needed in almost all kinds of companies, the most prominent ones being movie production houses, publishing houses, advertising firms, public relations firms and fashion houses. Although, the salaries will vary in accordance to the industry and the city/state where the publicist is employed, on an average, the salary is around $49000 per year in United States today. An experienced publicist can look forward to earn as much as $74000 annually. A new entrant or an associate publicist can earn anywhere between $22000 to $53000 per year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the coming decade, there will be an increase of around eighteen percent in the number of professionals employed in this field.

Education and Skills
To enter this profession, there are no educational pre-requisites, still if a candidate has a college degree in journalism, public relations or related field, it will further his prospects in this profession. The reason behind this is that a publicist drafts press releases and news stories for his clients, he interacts with a number of media persons everyday, this means that both his written as well communication skills should be superb! However, more than any education, a candidate's networking and people's skills will determine how much success he attains in this profession. The ability to handle crises (in case a client goofs up!), a temperament to work long hours (even on weekends and at night), a great sense of humor and oodles of patience to deal with the celebrity's egos, any person entering this field should be prepared for all this.

In today's time, a publicist is required in almost every field, even in non profit organizations! This means that there will never ever be a dearth of jobs for professionals in this field. People who are creative in writing, good at networking and excellent in creating a buzz, are ideal candidates for this profession!

How to Become a Publicist

A career as a publicist is fast-paced, glamorous, challenging and above all exciting. You get to work for the biggest corporate houses and celebrities, and most importantly, get quite a lot of media attention! Publicists act as representatives for their clients and are responsible for ensuring that their clients are in the news for all the good reasons. While the opportunities for rewards and recognitions are immense, there is cut-throat competition in this field.

Educational Requirements

There are no set educational standards to start working as a publicist, but excellent written and oral communication skills enhance the prospects of getting hired. During your college days, it is important that you choose those subjects which involve courses on communications, journalism, digital media and marketing. There are numerous schools which offer diplomas in public relations (PR). Most of the employers are hesitant in hiring a candidate with no prior experience, but getting an internship helps in providing the right kind of exposure. There are numerous institutions which provide internships to students. Let us take a look at some of the best places to study public relations in US.
  1. University of Florida
  2. The University of Texas, Austin
  3. Michigan State University
  4. University of Houston
  5. Temple University
  6. University of North Texas
  7. University of Georgia
  8. San Jose State University
  9. Wayne State University
  10. The University of Tennessee
These were some of the top institutions which offer public relation courses to students. Although completing a program from these reputed institutions adds weight to one's resume, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that you will be immediately hired as a PR executive. In this field of work, it is the networking and social skills that determine one's success. Doing some freelance work in your college days can help you in understanding the technicalities involved in being a publicist. While becoming a publicist takes considerable time and experience, you can start your career as an entry-level assistant, where your main job would be to answer phone calls and making arrangements for interviews. It is important that you stay patient and focused in your initial days and don't give up easily. Most of the successful publicists of today have had to start from the bottom and work their way up the ladder.

To enhance your prospects of getting hired, you need to keep yourself updated about the latest happenings in the PR industry. To get work experience, you should be ready to work for very little initially as it helps in getting some credit on the resume. Another attribute which is very important for becoming a publicist and being good at it is building relationships with people working in this industry. There are numerous employment opportunities which are available on recommendation basis and this is where your networking skills play an important part. Once a reputed client hires you, your credentials as a publicist improves and people get to know you. From there on, how well you represent your clients plays a major role in your career.

Job Prospects and Salary

It is estimated that the PR industry will grow by 18% till 2016, creating approximately 300,000 jobs. Fortune magazine has listed a career as PR in the list of 20 Fastest-Growing Professional Jobs. As more and more companies are becoming aware about the important role publicists play in brand-building and building strong relationships with clients, new avenues of employment have opened for aspiring publicists.

The average salary of publicists is in the range of $45,000 to $50,000. Los Angeles, New York and Chicago are the best cities to work for publicists as a lot of media companies are headquartered in these cities. PR executives working with high-profile celebrities and politicians earn salaries in excess of $100,000, but it takes a lot of experience to reach that stage.

How to Become an Editor in Chief of a Magazine

A magazine is very different from a newspaper. You cannot judge both by complexity or simplicity, as both require different skills in their editors. Yes, the base qualities in writing and editing are almost the same, but the job as such, is very different. After spending a good time in the industry, a medium level editor might want to become the editor in chief, gradually. If you know how to become the editor in chief, you can probably work your way up, in a better way. An editor in chief, is the top most level position in the entire hierarchy of editors. These editors are mainly responsible for policy making. Every decision or suggestions has to go through the approval of this editor. They are also responsible for performance appraisals and promotions, so always be in their good books!

How Can You Become an Editor in Chief?

The Education
To become an editor, you need to complete your masters. You need to obtain a degree in mass communication or journalism. Some magazines also allow people with a majors in English to apply. A master's degree will give you more advantage over the bachelors. If you are already working with a magazine, you don't have to leave your job to pursue your education. Look for universities that offer long distance programs and apply for those. Certain degrees in media and writing are also acceptable nowadays. To be on the safer side, choose one of the degrees mentioned before. Education will play an equal part in your appraisals and promotions too.

The Qualities
If you want to know how to become an editor in chief of a magazine, it's very important for you to know what is expected out of you apart from your education. Leadership qualities are the extremely vital for an editor in chief. If you are an introvert with communication problems, better start working on those before it is too late. Apart from this, you must know how to multitask and how to meet deadlines. The editor in chief responsibilities also require you to work extra hours at times, so make sure you are used to working late hours. Apart from this, you also need to be a good employee, one that is worth retaining.

The Experience
Experience counts a lot when you talk about this particular position. It is very important to have tons and tons of experience while applying for the post of an editor in chief. From your first job itself, try to find a publication that will let you freelance as well. This will multiply your experience many folds. Buy The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law and read through the entire book. This will add to your experience in a way. If you are only dealing with reporting at the moment, don't let your creative writing take a back seat. It is very important to be able to write in different styles and have enough experience in all of them.

The Salary
The salary range for editors in chief is $36,000 - $131,500 approximately. The average salary of an editor in chief is thus, $83,750 approximately. The salaries of these editors will vary a lot depending upon the location and specially, the publication they work with. They can also earn more by giving guest lectures and writing books too. Most of the books available on journalism and media are written by editors in chiefs.

Now that these tips have told you how to become an editor in chief of a magazine, start preparing yourself with their help. If this is your ultimate goal, start working towards it. In the meantime, read more on different writing and reporting styles around the world. Though The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law will tell you about almost everything, it is your job to see that you don't miss out on anything.