Literary vs.
Journalistic Writing
Characteristics of Literary Writing
• To entertain and inform leisurely
PURPOSE
• To appeal primarily to the emotions
• To interest a comparatively small and select group
• May or may not be entirely factual
CONTENT
• May or may not be timely
• Deals with either actual or imaginary events/situa-
tions/ideas
• Limited only by the author’s imagination
STRUCTURE
• May build to a climax at end of story; may be written
in logical order with no single more important
• Refers to author’s techniques of expression
STYLE
• Subjective
• Use of first person acceptable
• Usually have a topic sentence
• Any length acceptable
PARAGRAPHS
• Most important point may be at end
• Often depends on surrounding paragraphs
• Any type
SENTENCES
• Any length
• Most important point anywhere
WORDS
• Any type used any way
• Usually gathers data on which to base information
WRITER’S PREPARATION
• May write when or where he/she pleases
• Author may determine length himself/herself
Characteristics of Journalistic Writing
• Must inform quickly
• Primarily to give information
• Interests a large group with varying educational back-
ground
• Written at 10th grade level
• Entirely factual
• Should be timely
• Deals with actual events/situations/ideas
• Based on facts gathered by reporters
• Inverted pyramid: most important point first, fol-
lowed by descending facts in order of importance
• Facilitates reading, headline writing, layout
• Refers mostly to preparation of copy and use of caps,
figures, punctuation, spelling; may refer to author’s
individual technique or expression
• Usually objective, simple and direct
• Definite limitations to use of the first person
• Usually have topic sentences
• Should not exceed ‘xx’ words
• Most important point at beginning
• Usually contain one main idea; usually complete in
themselves and able to be removed without destroying
meaning
• Usually short, concise and direct
• Avoid using important or unusual word twice in same
sentence or too closely together in the same para-
graph
• Avoid beginning with the, it is, it was, there is, there
are
• Understood by average reader; written to be under-
stood quickly; not technical; specific and vivid; not
trite; active voice preferred
• Reporter gathers facts through interviews and other
research
• Must write for deadline
• Reporter usually must fit assigned length