Writing for Strategic Communication Industries
The book provides a thorough exploration of journalistic techniques but falls short in addressing the strategic aspects of communication. While it covers a broad range of topics, it lacks depth in crucial areas such as media pitching, press releases, media kits, and blog posts. These elements are essential for strategic communications planning and writing. The text would benefit from including examples of communication strategies and guidance on when to use specific tactics. Although it effectively outlines what constitutes a strategy, it needs to delve deeper into the creation process of these strategies, with more examples to illustrate the points.
Additionally, the book’s chapters are relatively brief, and expanding them with more detailed examples would enhance the reader’s understanding. For instance, while it presents a useful model differentiating PR, Marketing, and Advertising, it misses the opportunity to explore the various documents and strategies applicable to each field. A more in-depth discussion on the role of research in strategic planning would also be beneficial.
The book remains accurate for its time of publication but would benefit from an updated edition that reflects the evolving landscape of strategic communication, particularly in social and digital media. While the content is generally accurate, many hyperlinks providing crucial examples are broken and need updating. Additionally, certain areas require further discussion or reconsideration. For instance, in Chapter 3.14, the “reflection point” should be revised to include the practice of PR professionals offering free items to journalists for media exposure, noting that this is not necessarily a conflict of interest unless specific platform policies prohibit it. Overall, the content accurately represents the profession of strategic writing.
The book, while accurate for its time, is in need of an update to remain practical and relevant in 2024. Many of the hyperlinks to industry examples are outdated or no longer active, which diminishes their usefulness. The book’s format and content are conducive to an easy update, and I recommend including more writing examples that cover both traditional formats (e.g., print brochures) and digital formats (e.g., infographics). Without these updates, students may not learn the most current best practices for strategic communication writing.
Additionally, the social media section requires significant updates, including the addition of a social media calendar and organizational strategies for writing and posting content. The Ethics section would also benefit from better examples. Overall, updating the hyperlinks and expanding the content to reflect contemporary practices would greatly enhance the book’s value.
The book is highly readable and approachable, making it suitable for emerging strategic communication practitioners. However, the simplicity of the language may be a drawback, as it might not challenge college-level readers sufficiently. The straightforward and jargon-free style, while clear, could be seen as too simplistic for an academic setting. This book would be ideal for a short workshop or weekend event but would require additional materials to be effective in an undergraduate course.
Moreover, while the content is clear and easy to understand, the reliance on hyperlinks for examples is problematic. Many of these links are outdated or inaccessible, and it would be more beneficial if the examples were integrated directly into the text. Updating the book to include more comprehensive and contemporary examples, particularly in the areas of social media and ethics, would greatly enhance its utility and relevance
The book is consistent in its use of terminology and framework, making it easy to follow. However, the length of each chapter varies significantly, and the use of outside references is inconsistent. Unlike traditional textbooks, which are typically rich with information, graphics, and references, this book reads more like a brief. This inconsistency, both within the chapters and when compared to other publications, affects its overall rating.
Despite these issues, the terminology throughout the book aligns well with industry standards, which adds to its clarity and ease of understanding. However, to improve its utility and appeal, the book would benefit from a more uniform structure and the inclusion of integrated examples rather than relying on hyperlinks.
The book’s modularity is a significant strength, featuring very short, concise chapters that can be read quickly. This structure allows for flexibility, making it easy to reorganize the chapters to fit different syllabi or teaching needs. However, this modularity also introduces a weakness: a lack of depth in certain areas. For example, discussions on media relations and news writing are separated, whereas it might be more effective to bridge these topics in a single chapter, given their interconnected nature.
While the text is well-organized and the information is relevant, the inconsistency in chapter length and depth is noticeable. Some chapters are unnecessarily long, while others do not cover their topics in sufficient detail. Despite these issues, the book’s terminology is consistent with industry standards, and its clear, jargon-free language makes it accessible. However, to enhance its utility, the book would benefit from more integrated examples and a more uniform structure across chapters.
The book’s organization could benefit from significant restructuring. Currently, more general information is placed toward the end, which would be more effective if moved to the beginning. The overall organization is average, with some chapters appearing out of order. For instance, the ethics section disrupts the flow between media writing basics and news writing basics, and advertising is discussed after social media, despite being introduced earlier in the context of public relations.
In several areas, the flow of content feels disjointed, which can make it challenging for readers to follow the progression of topics. Reorganizing the chapters to create a more logical and cohesive structure would greatly enhance the readability and effectiveness of the book.
The book is straightforward and easy to follow, making it accessible for readers. However, when compared to traditionally published textbooks from 2024, it lacks the depth and sophistication expected for an undergraduate textbook. The book would benefit from more examples, graphics, discussion questions, outside sources, and overall content to enhance its educational value.
A significant issue is the presence of broken hyperlinks and links behind paywalls, which are intended to provide supporting examples and resources. Updating these links is crucial to maintain the book’s relevance and usability.
The grammar in the textbook is generally correct and basic, making it easy for students to follow. The examples provided for common mistakes are clear and helpful. However, there are minor issues such as large spacings and some misspellings, which are problematic for a book intended to teach writing skills. Addressing these minor grammatical errors would improve the overall quality and reliability of the textbook.
The book is politically correct and unbiased, with no offensive or insensitive content. It is geared towards job-related skills rather than cultural distinctions, and all examples are clear and relevant. However, aside from the ethics section, the book lacks cultural statements and would benefit from more diverse examples, particularly those representing minority groups. Including such examples would greatly enhance the book’s inclusivity and relevance. Despite this, the text remains respectful and appropriate throughout.
The book is clear and easy to follow, making it suitable for an introductory-level writing course in journalism and public relations, possibly more appropriate for high school students rather than college students. As the title suggests a focus on Strategic Communications, the book should place more emphasis on the team development of strategic messages. Messages within an organization are typically shaped by a team, not just a single writer. The necessary skills to understand and reflect the organization’s focus were not sufficiently developed. Writers, especially those working within a team, need to recognize their role in conveying the values derived by the team for the intended audience. The discussions on media and platforms are useful once the message and audience are designated.
Published in 2016, the book requires significant updates to remain relevant in the current age of AI and social media. A comprehensive rewrite may be necessary to address these advancements and ensure the content is up-to-date. Overall, while the book provides a good foundation, it needs more depth, particularly in the areas of team collaboration and contemporary communication practices.