Columns & Reviews

Columns vs. Editorials

• Can use first person

• Can use quotes and

dialogue

• Written in an informal,

personal style

• Express personal

viewpoints of individual

writers

• May be longer than an

editorial

• No first person singular

• No quotes or dialogue

• Written with a specific

formula/outline

• Express viewpoints of

the newspaper staff

Columnists . . .

• Are intrigued by people

• See ordinary events in new ways

• Are willing to take chances, sometimes reveal something about

themselves that is personal

• Independent

• Feel strongly about issues and want to share their opinions with

others

• Read a lot

- The Radical Write, Chapter 14

Opinion Columns

• Sharing personal opinions (as opposed to

editorials) on topics related to politics, news

and current events (editorial topics)

• Typically follow the same format as editorials

• Lead, stance, body that explains, rebuttal

and conclusion that recaps stance and

includes a call to action

Personal Reflection Columns

Sharing experiences or a personal story

Can be humorous, sentimental, melancholic

Goal is to appeal to the reader’s emotions

(whether rage, sadness, joy or excitement)

Additional Types of Columns• Profile Columns –focus on outstanding

individuals (can give personal opinions about the person, unlike features)

• Sports Columns – topics related to sports

• Question and Answer columns – such as

“Dear Abby”

Column Trends

• An unique opening or closing line or

a word or phrase that is always

included

• Consistent title (Overtime with David

Barr)

• Target an audience

Writing a Column

• Step 1: Interview and observe

– Look for an interesting angle

– Look for irony or symbolism

• Step 2: Write

– Make it personal

– Take a stand

– Don’t cheerlead

– Don’t chat with the reader

– Don’t ramble

– Find your voice – it should reflect your personality

Column Writing Techniques

• Tell a dramatic story

• Focus on the individual

• Use anecdotes

• Use exaggeration, puns, narrative, scene development

and fictional dialogue

• Be creative, clever, witty

• Tone should match the mood

- The Radical Write, Chapter 14

Fictional Dialogue Example• Column written about a Texas law that allows

newborn babies to be legally abandoned within 30

days of birth

– “Honey, can we take this baby back?” Vicki Bob said. “All

he does is eat; cry and poop, and he’s keeping the dogs

awake at night and creating such a fuss that I can’t

even hardly hear Jerry Springer on TV. We got to do

something!”

– “Okay by me,” Bubba replied. “Heck, we got nine others

anyway. “– The Radical Write, Chapter 14

Keep it simple

• Keep each sentence straightforward and clear

• Remember columns are not AP English papers

• What not to do . . .

– The scene is that of a Guatemalan prison, a cold,

dank, cement-block edifice as foreboding as the

Bastille or the Black Hole of Calcutta. Screams

reverberate up and down the corridors . . .

Be Concise and Be Precise

• The vehicle we were looking for was

a van that we planned to use on our

vacation.

• For our vacation, we wanted a van.

What not to do in columns• Gossip

• Use slang, jargon or clichés

• Use profanity or anything that borders on

profanity

• Religious comments (especially those that

belittle religion)

• Any comments intended to be offensive

• Chat with reader

Read Sample Columns

1. Leonard Pitts

2. Rick Reilly

3. Dave Barry

4. Bobby Hawthorne

5. John Grogan

Column ExamplesDiscussion Questions:

How are the columns different from editorials?

How are the columns similar to editorials?

How are they different from news & features?

What types of columns are represented?

What is the main point of each column?

What successful writing techniques are used?

How did the writers come up with their topics?

Today you will:

• write for a variety of audiences and purposes write for a variety of audiences and purposes and

researches self-selected topics to write researches self-selected topics to write

journalistic textsjournalistic texts such as reviews, columns, and

editorials to inform, entertain, and/or persuade

(110.62b (3k))

• by comparing & contrasting columns and reviews

AND

• writing your own review

Goals of Reviews

– Movies, restaurants, books, plays, video games,

albums, etc.

– Designed to guide and inform readers

– Make comparisons

– Evaluate product or performance

– Give strengths and weaknesses

To prepare

• Read the whole book, watch the full movie,

etc.

• Consider other works by that

author/actor/etc.

• Do your research! Become an expert on

your topic.

• Pay attention to the audience reaction

Elements of a Review

Organization

• Don’t use chronological order

• Organize by artistic concerns –

effect, style, tone, acting, staging,

etc.

Give an opinion!

• Reviews must give an opinion

• Don’t rehash the program or the plot

• What did you like or dislike?

• Example: Reciting what order the

songs were played in a concert

instead of evaluating the performance

Review Writing Tips• Write about what you know about

• Write about what you care about

• Put the performance or work in context

(compare to other works)

• Analyze and explain

• Be fair in giving your opinion

• Keep it short and to the point

• Be serious

More Review Writing Tips

• Avoid I, me, my

• Avoid clichés (“I laughed. I cried. I

experienced the full range of human

emotion.”)

• Should be timely, informal, local and

opinionated

• Give it a grade, rank or score

Conclusions

• Bring to satisfying conclusion

• Refer back to beginning

• Example:

– The Bourne Identity is essentially one long chase

sequence, and it’s constructed almost entirely

from suspense tropes we’ve seen before, but

director Doug Liman infuses it with such chilly

European flair that it’s impossible not to enjoy

the ride.

Example

Column vs. Review w/Examples

1. Go online and find a book, movie, music, TV

or food review to read. Copy the URL.

2. Find an example of a column. Copy the URL.

3. In your own words, tell me how reviews and

columns are alike and different? Paste the

URLs to each article in your assignment. Email

me.