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Championship Writing: 50 Ways to Improve Your Writing
A fun-to-read guide that teaches writers how to construct graceful, concise sentences with flair.
204 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2000
23 people want to read
About the author
Paula LaRocque
8 books17 followersPaula is an editor, communications consultant, and author of nonfiction who has recently turned her attention to writing fiction. Her first novel, a mystery titled “Chalk Line,” will be published by Marion Street Press, Inc., in 2011.
Often hailed as one of America’s foremost writing coaches, Paula has conducted writing workshops for hundreds of media, government, academic, and business groups across the United States, Canada, and Europe. She also has served as a writing consultant for the Associated Press, the Drehscheibe Institute in Bonn, and the European Stars & Stripes in Germany.
From 1971 to 1981, she taught technical communication at Western Michigan University’s School of Engineering and, after moving to Texas, taught journalism at Texas A&M, Southern Methodist, and Texas Christian universities. From 1981 to 2001, she was assistant managing editor and writing coach at The Dallas Morning News.
She has been a columnist for the Society of Professional Journalists’ Quill magazine for more than 20 years. Her commentaries on the language air regularly on National Public Radio in Dallas, and she’s author of three books on writing (Marion Street Press).
After leaving The Dallas Morning News in 2001, Paula -- now a member of the Mystery Writers of America and of the Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Workshop -- wrote the first two books of a mystery series. The series features detective Ben Gallagher and is set in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
A member of the Associated Press Managing Editors association from the early 1990s through 2001, she was elected to the Board of Directors and appointed an officer. In 2001, the association granted her its highest honor: the Meritorious Service Award for exemplary contribution to journalism.
She earned a BA degree Summa Cum Laude in 1971 and an MA in 1972 (Western Michigan University). She also worked on a doctorate, but her career became so demanding she did not complete it.
Often hailed as one of America’s foremost writing coaches, Paula has conducted writing workshops for hundreds of media, government, academic, and business groups across the United States, Canada, and Europe. She also has served as a writing consultant for the Associated Press, the Drehscheibe Institute in Bonn, and the European Stars & Stripes in Germany.
From 1971 to 1981, she taught technical communication at Western Michigan University’s School of Engineering and, after moving to Texas, taught journalism at Texas A&M, Southern Methodist, and Texas Christian universities. From 1981 to 2001, she was assistant managing editor and writing coach at The Dallas Morning News.
She has been a columnist for the Society of Professional Journalists’ Quill magazine for more than 20 years. Her commentaries on the language air regularly on National Public Radio in Dallas, and she’s author of three books on writing (Marion Street Press).
After leaving The Dallas Morning News in 2001, Paula -- now a member of the Mystery Writers of America and of the Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Workshop -- wrote the first two books of a mystery series. The series features detective Ben Gallagher and is set in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
A member of the Associated Press Managing Editors association from the early 1990s through 2001, she was elected to the Board of Directors and appointed an officer. In 2001, the association granted her its highest honor: the Meritorious Service Award for exemplary contribution to journalism.
She earned a BA degree Summa Cum Laude in 1971 and an MA in 1972 (Western Michigan University). She also worked on a doctorate, but her career became so demanding she did not complete it.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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December 13, 2022Read for work. LaRocque gave some very beneficial and practical advice on how to become a better writer. She also was witty and sassy which made it more enjoyable to read.
June 18, 2010
When I bought this book from the author, she seemed to be excellent at her trade, and I thought her book would help me to become a better writer. Almost immeaditely after starting the book, I was surprised to discover the book was devoted to helping journalists write. I felt misled since the back of the book seemed to be advertising to novelists. I kept reading none the less.
The book only gives one way to help your writing- make it shorter. The ironic part is that her entire message is to reduce repetition and redundency, but the entire book is just the same message repeated over and over again! She should have applied her own priniciples!
The final straw came, for me, about a third of the way into the book. Throughout, she had been citing examples of heavy, complicated writing, and then showing what it was like after her editing mechanisms had been applied. It was fairly obvious she had chosen the worst-case scenarios, things that likely are never actually written aside from a few freak cases. What drove me over the edge was one of these examples. When she cited it, it was beautiful, imagery and allusions that really tugged on my heartstrings. I loved it. However, she applied her harsh red pen, and took everything out of it, destoying, laying it bare as emotionless journalistic garble. She destroyed it.
This book promises to improve your writing. However, the author, an editor who probably nags journalists to no end, more often than not destroys good writing.
The book only gives one way to help your writing- make it shorter. The ironic part is that her entire message is to reduce repetition and redundency, but the entire book is just the same message repeated over and over again! She should have applied her own priniciples!
The final straw came, for me, about a third of the way into the book. Throughout, she had been citing examples of heavy, complicated writing, and then showing what it was like after her editing mechanisms had been applied. It was fairly obvious she had chosen the worst-case scenarios, things that likely are never actually written aside from a few freak cases. What drove me over the edge was one of these examples. When she cited it, it was beautiful, imagery and allusions that really tugged on my heartstrings. I loved it. However, she applied her harsh red pen, and took everything out of it, destoying, laying it bare as emotionless journalistic garble. She destroyed it.
This book promises to improve your writing. However, the author, an editor who probably nags journalists to no end, more often than not destroys good writing.
August 28, 2012
I'll be using this with my Independent Study Advanced journalism students this fall. Not the most exciting book, but it does have lots of helpful tips for journalistic writing.
August 25, 2016
Primarily geared for journalists.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews