09/08/07 Re-read Chapters 1 and 2 of "Writing to Deadline" by Don Murray. Post to your blog a paragraph or two in answer to questions 1 and 2

1.) As a communications student, I learned several tips about the process of writing from Murray in chapters 1 and 2. The main point Murray stresses is that writers get writing done because they have deadlines. He explains that the term, "deadline", comes from an actual line drawn outside of prison's walls. When prisoners crossed the deadline, they were shot dead. Murray says that he feels the same way about a writer's deadlines...they must be met or the writer will face professional death. I would pass on many of Murray's tips to other professional students. A few that I think are most important, are to rehearse and edit. To rehearse your writing means that you should reflect on the subject matter. Murray shares that he did most all of his important writing away from his desk. This was because he took time to sit back and think about the subject he was going to write about. If given a 3 hour deadline, he would rehearse, or think about the subject for an hour and a half, write for an hour, and edit for a half hour. This is a process of writing I think every professional student can learn from. The editing process is extremely important for every writer, and is most often the step that is skipped because of a lack of time.Every writer needs to allow time to stand back review their writing. You need to answer the reader's questions, clarifying, cutting, correcting, and polishing the writing. Rehearsing and editing are the 2 most important processes I would pass onto others.2.) Murray's specific idea that will help me the most in my writing process is the idea that less is more. I often times have a tendency to write more than what is needed. I use too many words, and talk around the subject instead of just getting to the point. He talks about when he started as a reporter at the newspaper, he discovered many things. One of which was the respect for specific detail. He says that he didn't lose his love for words, he just learned to focus that love for words on the specific details that needed to be stressed.During his interview with David Mehegan, Murray asks the questions, "How do you prepare to interview someone?". Mehegan responds by saying, "I need to know enough about what I'm writing about so that I don't ask questions that make me look foolish...but, I do not worry about being ignorant because my theory is taht we are all professional ignoramuses, it's our job to not know something and then to find out". I think this is great idea for writers to remember, especially new, inexperienced writers just beginning their career. The goal in interviewing is to find out what you don't know. There is no reason to feel ignorant when answering questions, afterall, that's what the interview is meant for...questions and answers.