Tips for magazine writers

amother

Sienna

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 2:47 pm

mamma llama wrote:

Okay, I am going to apologize in advance for derailing the thread, but does anybody here have actual tips for magazine writers? I'm always looking to learn something new. Smile

Maybe start another thread? I know tons of writers are on here, I'm sure you'll get some really nice tips!

amother

Brunette

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 2:49 pm

mommy2379 wrote:

I don't think it works that way. If someone falls publicly and everyone see's and then those who saw recount the event over and over among themselves- still LH.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember, from chofetz chaim: Something that is already known to more than three persons cannot be deemed lashon hara.

amother

Burgundy

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 2:51 pm

amother [ Wine ] wrote:

Have you ever peeked into sefer chofetz chaim, Burgundy? Because not speaking negatively about a person/their work is pretty much the premise of his entire work.

And no, I'm not going to pick out verses for you, no matter how grateful that would make you. Flip it open and turn to any page. You'll find whatever you see illuminating, I'm guessing.

As to the rest of your post, it is irrelevant how you take criticism or how you believe other should take criticism. But please, tell us your name and what you do. I'm sure I''ll have constructive criticism to write on this public forum for your benefit.

You haven't shown the ability to offer constructive criticism, and unlike me, you're not even willing to show exactly what in the Chofetz Chaim supports what you have to say.

As I understand it, your position is that no one should criticize someone's work, ever. That's a rather difficult position to take. It can lead to a world where the loudest, most obnoxious voice always wins out, because criticism is verboten. Society is better off when we can respectfully point out problems.

mamma llama

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 2:53 pm

amother [ Sienna ] wrote:

Maybe start another thread? I know tons of writers are on here, I'm sure you'll get some really nice tips!

Good idea! https://www.imamother.com/foru.....12243

amother

Brunette

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 2:53 pm

mamma llama wrote:

Okay, I am going to apologize in advance for derailing the thread, but does anybody here have actual tips for magazine writers? I'm always looking to learn something new. Smile

Just as OP said: Keep it simple.

Or rather: don't make it more complicated than you can manage... When in doubt, replace with an expression you are sure about.

Of course, if you think you know something is correct and it really isn't, there's really nothing you can do...

amother

Mustard

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 3:14 pm

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

Honest criticism of someone's work isn't lashon hara. How do you think someone improves (in any area)? You try, someone points out how it could be done better, and you try again.

Criticism should be fair and impersonal, and deal with the product, not the person. But stifling all criticism? Not a good idea, for many reasons.

delete

amother

Wine

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 3:30 pm

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

This response tells me you either do not understand my previous posts or you are being deliberately obtuse. I suspect it's the latter.

So I'm done with this back and forth.

amother

Brunette

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 3:34 pm

amother [ Wine ] wrote:

This response tells me you either do not understand my previous posts or you are being deliberately obtuse. I suspect it's the latter.

So I'm done with this back and forth.

But look, wine: here you are just insulting and offending burgundy (almost the same color as wine)...

So do you yourself think that chofetz chaim applies to you too?

Doesn't look like it...

amother

Wine

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 4:05 pm

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

But look, wine: here you are just insulting and offending burgundy (almost the same color as wine)...

So do you yourself think that chofetz chaim applies to you too?

Doesn't look like it...

The laws of shmiras halashon do not apply to criticizing an anoymous poster. They do apply to public criticism of a person's work, done under their own name.
It's that simple.
I do not rush to criticize even anonymous posters. But one saying that it is perfectly okay to criticize
a real live human being online because it's constructive...(said while anonymous, because apparently she likes to stay well, un-criticized) well, that gets my goat.

amother

Brunette

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 4:13 pm

amother [ Wine ] wrote:

But onaas devarim applies to anonymous posters, because behind the color, there is a human being who might be hurt by what you say.

So I am not quite sure you practice what you preach.

amother

Wine

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 5:31 pm

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

But onaas devarim applies to anonymous posters, because behind the color, there is a human being who might be hurt by what you say.

So I am not quite sure you practice what you preach.

Onaas devarim applies to people anonymous or not. I may not be a rabbi, but I believe it does not apply to attacking the WORDS of an anonymous poster publicly advocating committing a sin.

In fact, I believe it is a mitzvah.

amother

Lilac

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 6:22 pm

I don’t have time to read through the whole thread, so forgive me if this point was already made.
It is inexcusable that any publication prints articles that have blatant spelling and grammar errors.
Many times the content of these articles are entertaining or informative (rarely educational) , yet the article loses its appeal when it contains these grammar, usage and spelling errors. I find myself losing respect for the author and editorial staff.
I am a high school English teacher and actually challenge my students to look out for these mistakes, and it’s amazing how many they, with their very limited education, can find.
The bar is set very low, but this is really inexcusable.

Ok, rant over.

DallasIma

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 7:59 pm

I'm a professional proofreader and copy editor. I see plenty of typos, mistakes, bad grammar, etc., in all types of publications, even well-known secular newspapers. (It's hard to turn off my "proofreading eye" even when I'm just reading something casually.) Living out of the NYC area, I don't get the frum magazines regularly although they are available here, but when I have bought them (usually while visiting relatives in the NY/NJ area) I don't remember ever seeing anything ungrammatical that jumped out at me. And, if something isn't grammatical or is misspelled, so what? People are human and they make mistakes. If they didn't, I wouldn't have a job!

ExtraCredit

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 8:02 pm

DallasIma wrote:

Thank you for being the unescorted voice of impetus!

amother

Lemon

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 8:30 pm

I don’t know what all the fuss is about. I also wrote for Jewish magazines for years, and I agree with you. It’s why I hated the storytime (“serial”) sections and appreciated other sections instead.

I used to have people in the neighborhood march right up to my face and tell me I said something completely wrong, but they were the ones actually mistaken. I just chuckled to myself and told the person “oh, wow, really?”

The truth is that editors have off weeks, same as us.

amother

Floralwhite

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 8:35 pm

amother [ Lilac ] wrote:

I hate when errors in my students' favorite publications make it harder for me to teach a grammar/usage rule. "But everyone writes like this!"

The worst offenders are the advertisement circulars.

Also, don't get me started on those rule-breaking fads in the magazines that creep into my students' work.

ExtraCredit

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 8:46 pm

amother [ Orange ] wrote:

Dear magnanimous extra credit,

I look ahead to eyeballing your magnum opus shortly, or as some say- truncated. Your words are pithy.

Your admirer in hiding

It’s about cadence you surface from your hermitage. Why applaud cryptonymously?

penguin

Sun, Nov 29 2020, 8:56 pm

Quote:

I only know that you went two either Harvard or Yale

How do you know she didn't attend eithe Cambridge or Oxford?

I am more familiar with the term "prep school" being British, although that's likely from literature.