Have you ever seen a photo illustration and said to yourself, “man, I wish I knew how to do that.” Guess what? You don’t have to be a trained artist to develop a neat photo illustration. All you need is a camera, some tools and imagination. The example to the left is a perfect example.…
Did you know that this week is National Newspaper Week? If not, now is the time to promote this week that’s important to us all, from the small town community journalist to the mega daily. National Newspaper Week runs from Oct. 6-12. Critics of our industry often say newspapers are dead, but with continued expansion…
If your answer to that question is no, you should get started. Chances are whether you live in a sprawling suburb or quaint, small town, there are hospitals and health care facilities nearby. Virtually everyone one of them are affected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), colloquially known as Obamacare. Even if you live in…
On my Facebook page and in my new book, Reporting & Community Journalism, I talk about obituary stories. Obituary stories are written everywhere, but they are especially well-read at community newspapers, and especially in small towns, where the person was probably known by almost everyone. There are, however, several guidelines to follow when writing obituary…
Have you ever noticed when a newspaper sometimes obscures part of the nameplate? If you have, do you think the designer is crazy? Believe it or not, this is one of those instances when bending the rules is acceptable – with a few caveats, of course. First, you need to make sure your newspaper is…
As a followup to his first book, “Confessions of a Community Journalist,” newspaper editor and author Michael Shawn Smith has released his next book, “Reporting & Community Journalism.” “Reporting & Community Journalism” officially went on sale August 31 via Createspace. You can order copies by clicking here. Copies are also available on Amazon by clicking…
Are you looking for A1 design inspiration in a crunch? How about sports? Features? Of course, you can find design samples here on my website. But another great resource is News Page Designer. Here’s the direct link: http://newspagedesigner.org. What makes News Page Designer so helpful is that it’s the most comprehensive website I’ve found that’s…
In my new book, “Reporting & Community Journalism,” which is due out in August, I have a section dedicated to writing obituary stories. Here’s a classic example of an obituary story from our publication, the Carolina Forest Chronicle. Horry County Deputy Timothy Causey provided security in the aftermath of the March 16 fire that destroyed…
Here’s a page that incorporates some simple design elements. The text box was set at 90 percent opacity. The centerpiece story and headline were tilted seven degrees counter-clockwise, and a drop shadow was added to the secondary art. A simple vertical photo of pine straw served as the centerpiece art. The dog cutout came from…
If you work for a community newspaper, you can never go wrong by staying local. While the TV stations and metro dailies were busy chasing sports news outside our coverage areas, we kept our coverage closer to home. All season long we’ve been following the Carolina Forest softball team, which stands a legitimate shot at…
Michael S. Smith Author 