How to Write Like a Professional Journalist

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By Calandra Ferguson
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Writing is a skilled art. Professional writing skills take time and effort. Here's how to write like a professional journalist and improve your eHow articles.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

The journalist's bible, The Associated Press Stylebook 2009 •Working with Words: A Handbook ro Media Writers and Editors •The Elements of Style

Step 1

First, purchase a copy of the journalist’s bible, The Associated Press Stylebook.

Most writers don’t realize there’s a formal writing style professional journalist adhere to when writing for newspapers, magazines and other publications.

This writing style is meant to help journalist meet standards of good writing and provide a uniform presentation of the printed word.

The AP Stylebook equips anyone wanting to become a good writer with the proper rules of grammar, punctuation, spelling, word usage and special writing guidelines used when reporting sports, business, politic, media law, wire service and photo captions.
Step 2

Second, purchase a copy of Working with Words: A Handbook for Media Writers and Editors.

This book provides examples, exercises and information on grammar, writing for online sources, ethical writing and other rhetorical advice in which the Stylebook does not include.
Step 3

Third, purchase Elements of Style (Strunk & White) by William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White.

This writing style guide is considered the premier resource of English grammar and usage and is used in college and high school classrooms as a primary resource for the written word.
Step 4

Fourth, review, study and use these books each time you sit down to write.