Craig McGinty

Following a breaking news story

IF you want to follow a story via the internet, for example the latest on Burma, and how it is impacting on people who are actually there and posting to blogs and sharing video this is how journalist Graham Holliday does it.

Update (couple more pieces):
finding content from inside burma - harder than you'd think
Burma and the bloggers

A few stops on the web

JUST thought I'd point out some interesting websites and articles I've crossed recently, the first of which is thanks to Linda who linked across to the writing of journalist Danuta Kean.

Her site is a great example of using a blog to get your "stuff" in front of people to create links and networks with others, highlighted in the fact that Danuta was asked to do a talk for the Publishers Publicity Circle about blogging and publishing.

Another writer who has ensured his work has an audience, to help promote a book in this example, is Mark Moxon, travel writer and walkers' hero who has visited six continents and written about his trek from Land's End to John o'Groats.

And finally to round off all this talk of writing take a look at this Guardian article that features the desks of many a writer.

Using a blog as a freelance journalist

I RECEIVED an email a wee while ago from a journalist who was keen to use a blog to establish his writing in his field, and what the financial potential was.

It is a tough question to answer as much depends on the subject, the competition and the potential market place for your writing, but here is the reply I sent:

A good indicator of advertising potential is to take a look on the sites that already exist to see how busy the ad turnover is and whether there are any house ads.

Pitching, publishing and pints

BIT of a round-up piece for you here, with the first stop Linda's article on Freelance Writing Tips about one of the most difficult things for freelancers to do - following up a pitch.

Linda writes that it is important to find out when editors are on deadline, something PR people should consider as well, and offers a time frame if you have no luck with an initial request so that you don't appear too pushy.

History of email

WITH tongue firmly in cheek Julia takes a whistle stop tour of the history of email dating back to the 15th Century.

In the 15th c. they'd retype their emails many times before entrusting a Mac to a messenger. In the 16th c. they'd discover the spell-checker and possibly some drawing programs. The latter would become extremely useful in the 17th c., during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), as it would allow to draw the schemes of the enemy's headquarters and positions on the battlefields, as well as the enemy's portraits.

A Short History of the Evolution of the Email

Google books embedded into your site

THIS is sure to appeal to those book lovers out there as Google has made it possible to embed passages from titles in its book search service, see Collect, share and discover books.

Clicking on the image takes you through to the actual page, and you can also choose the option to display the quoted passage as regular text.

Is that the sound...

...of a penny dropping?

Press Gazette: Web-first news strategy 'boosts print sales'

I know a few people who will smile at this "shock" finding.

Last chance for Manchester Blog Awards

From Kate: Just a quick reminder that tomorrow is the deadline for submitting your picks for the 2007 Manchester Blog Awards.