The best magazine
By: Arleen M. Kaptur
Today's world of facts and figures is overflowing
with data; however, even in government reports,
data that has been altered or "changed" to represent
a certain viewpoint or scenario will eventually come
to light and then the entire project is thought to be
flawed and therefore discarded.
What does this mean to a writer? Basically, the one
main point to consider is that you have to check your
information not once, or twice, but several times and
against several sources in order to make sure that it is
not just one person's viewpoint or personal agenda.
If you label something as a "fact" then that means that
in all essence, this is exactly what this is. It is true,
and reliable information that can be used by others when
using your subject matter as a topic. Rest assured, that
if you offer a personal opinion, then let your readers
decipher if they agree or disagree with what they are
reading as stated or written by another individual or by
you.
The black-hole that many writers are falling into is when they
state something as a true fact and later it is disproved or
discounted. If this happens to a project you have presented
for publishing, then it is not only your reputation but the
reputation of the company that produces the book. Much
like a domino effect, your name is soiled, as is that of anyone
else who puts their input into your project. When this
happens, the energy needed to explain where you may have
gone wrong will not erase that first impression that a reader
receives.
While today's consumer and buyer of books and magazines
is more prone to point out an error in something they are
reading, your job as a writer is to be prepared to prove your
information so that everyone is happy and your reliability as
an author is even enhanced, because you were able to come
up with the sources necessary to tell the reader that you are
right and they can count on your information as factual.
Readers enjoy certain authors that they have learned to trust
and rely on, as to knowing their subject matter and passing on
knowledge and wisdom they have obtained on to their readers.
This is a sure fire way to win hearts and influence people and
isn't that what you really set out to do when you put pen to
paper or fingers on the keyboard.
ENJOY!
Arleen M. Kaptur
©January, 2007
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