Magazine writers file How-To stories, Breton on tap for column class

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The writers in the magazine writing class at CSU, Sacramento have posted the first drafts of their How-To stories in the last 24-hours. (The drafts are posted to the right of this blog, just below the columns of the column-writing class.)

The pieces vary from How To Lose Weight Without Really Trying (are you ready, Oprah?) to How To Create a Digital Scrapbook. The students will be getting their first drafts returned within a week, with about another week to do a rewrite. In the meantime, what they have written is available to peruse here.

Next up for the magazine writers is to select a person to profile, someone who might figure prominently in their major feature, due at the end of the semester.

And in column writing this week, Sacramento Bee Metro columnist Marcos Breton will be visiting class Wednesday.

Breton has visited the column-writing class for several semesters running, giving the class insight into what it is like being a newspaper columnist - and the challenges of print journalism with so much competing electronic media.

Breton is a dedicated Twitter person, too. He has 1,840 followers as of today.

Marcos Breton

Magazine writers drafting 'how-to' articles this week

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The writers in the magazine writing class at CSU, Sacramento are busy drafting their first "how-to" articles, due Monday.

The articles range from "How to create soy-based candles," to "How to find a job on the other side of the U.S."

And there are 22 other how-to stories in the works, also.

The articles are meant to be short - 500-600 words - but still have to resonate with readers.

Prior to Monday, the writers will be posting their first drafts on their magazine writing blogs, which can viewed at the right, below the columns posted by the column-writing class.

The columnistas of that class are currently drafting columns based loosely on their experiences listening to a speech Monday by Carlos González Gutiérrez, the Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento. His speech was interesting - and pretty much what you would expect from diplomat. The columnists, however, have full rein to go after any Mexico-related topic, provided they have some tie-in to his talk.

The Mexico-related columns come two days after filing columns about last week's Phlagleblast in the University Union.

The columnists' reactions to that event were very mixed, and often quite humorous.

Columnist Christina Hayes found an interesting oversight made by the event's promoter that became the focus of her column, titled: The Phlaglebreast is best. It's funny - as is the video at the end.

Here's the link to the column: The Phlaglebreast is best

Column writers to hear Mexican Consul General on Monday

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The columnists of Journalism 131 will be listening to a talk Monday given by Carlos González Gutiérrez, the Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento. 

And their assignment?


To write a column based on issues relating to the U.S. and Mexico, using Sr. Gonzalez Gutierrez's talk as a prompt.

Carlos González Gutiérrez

Those issues could include immigration, Mexican-American relations, language, culture - almost anything.


But the column will have to have a tie-in to  González Gutiérrez's speech, however tenuous the connection.


This next column comes as many of the columnists are still pounding out 600+ words about this week's University Union's Phlagleblast, which was a big success, according to organizers who are already looking at what they will be doing next fall.


A full biography of González Gutiérrez - who will be speaking Monday at noon in the University Ballroom - is available here: 

Biography of Mexican Consul

Columnists and reporters all checked out the Phlagleblast at CSUS

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - Writers from three classes converged on the University Union Wednesday, taking notes, interviewing and generally acting like journalists.

There were even quite a few reporter's notebooks in evidence.

For next week, the column writers already have their marching orders: produce a 600-650 word column based on their experiences, or something at the event.

The Phlagleblast was a gold mine for column ideas with thousands of students wandering about, exhibits, games, and plenty of food.

For the news writers, the task was a little more daunting. Their assignment was to gather enough information for a news story, a story that the class will put together as a group Monday. The fun part will be to see what different details the reporters picked up in their conversations and interviews.

One person/exhibitor who got plenty of attention - from both the classes and other students attending - was the 'balloon guy' who made animals figures which adorned heads all over the union.

The balloon guy told me he made more than 200 of the figures. And I won't put his name here - let's see how many of the students got it.

Here's a short video of him at work:

Column writing & news writing students head to Phlagleblast

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - The students from column writing and news writing will loosen the classroom shackles today and head to the University Union to check out the annual Phlagleblast celebration.

For the columnists, its an opportunity to do an 'event' column.

For the news writers, it's an opportunity to search for news from the various activities.

Here's a link to the schedule:

http://www.calendar.csus.edu/MasterCalendar/EventDetails.aspx?data=hHr80o3M7J51+olKlGHJ7zHyVAzWJlR9mp9xEGzEHAES/hzklwS1ag==