Comments on: Writing Refresher

By: Amelia Ramstead

Amelia Ramstead — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 21:14:44 +0000

One of my biggest challenges is not plagiarizing myself! I do a lot of work for one huge web design client who has a lot of "subclients." It's healthcare work, and often there's only so many ways to describe a procedure. Since most of these clients want the same sort of thing, I worry that I might be unintentionally phrasing things similarly. How do you solve this issue?

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 15:24:49 +0000

There's a local "entertainment reporter" who does a fine job with local events, but now and then she has "quoted" TV producers (and possibly a few actors) sort of like this:

"'Just heard my series just got a full season pick up!' so-and-so said via Twitter last week."

The same paper used to print days-old blogs from one of their new hires in the layout department, and at least half of his blogs were mashups or links to other blogs. That doesn't belong in newsprint.

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:36:09 +0000

LOL! Anne, human calls don't bother me — it's the robotic calls I cannot stand. That's all I had this year. Maybe one human call total. That's absurd. No one votes for a computer!

By: Anne Waynan

Anne Waynan — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:28:45 +0000

sorry, I've been making calls for my candidate… not in PA, but elsewhere… I know, I know, but I feel like I have to do something… oh and I donated a few times too and I did vote.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:27:58 +0000

Devon, great thoughts re: karma. I don't think many people realize just how each of their own reactions create their own destinies, so to speak. And I laughed out loud at the thought that freelancing is quick, easy anything! If only! :)

Mashups--good one, Paula. Mashups are NOT original writing. If you're giving a client a mashup of two or more articles, you're giving them garbage. I think it would be more work to do it that way than to do it the right way -- from scratch.

A Twitter quote? Hilarious! Did someone actually do that? Wow, let's hope not! That's not journalism -- that's gossiping.

By: Paula

Paula — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:21:44 +0000

Two more:

1) Mashups aren't the same as citing two sources. At best, mashups are rewriting multiple articles. When you don't to any interviewing or (original) research, you're not actually writing anything. You're parroting what other people wrote.

2) Citing someone's Twitter comments in an article is not the same thing as getting a fresh quote.

If you're a US voter, don't forget to vote!

(And if you're a US citizen who has chosen not to register to vote: Shut up. You can't complain about the system if you don't participate in it.)

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:54:51 +0000

All great points. Too many people getting into freelance writing see it as a quick and easy way to make money. It's not, but it's one of the most rewarding.

What you put out = what you get back, karmically as well as every other way.