Proposed list of chapters: too few, too many?

Here is the outline of chapters I’ve drafted for the book. Let me know if I’ve left anything out or if you would pare this down any by posting a comment or sending me an email.

Introduction: You can do this
In simple terms, a quick introduction would convince readers and would-be readers that it’s within their capacity to learn the basics of digital journalism.

Chapters:

1: Web 2.0 – A basic overview of the new technologies and web sites – like MySpace, Flickr, OhMyNews, wikipedia and del.ici.ous – that have changed the way people consume news and information and what it means for newspapers.

2: RSS and personalized web sites – MyYahoo, Bloglines, FeedDemon and other feed readers have cusomized news consumption for millions of readers. This chapter will discuss how to make this new technology work for you while giving you an understanding of what it means for your readers.

3: Tools and toys – The Treo, the Blackberry and the iPod have forever altered the way our audience accesses media. Learn how people are using these toys and others to access your content and how to make your content more accessible.

4: Spreadsheets and storing data – Reporters and editors, even photographers, store data digitally. Even if it’s just your list of contacts, learn to manage your data with spreadsheets to maximize its utility in the future.

5: Blog basics – New to the blogosphere? This chapter will debunk the myths about blogs and show you how to find blogs that will help you navigate the “information smog” of the internet.

6: How to blog – What makes a blog good? And popular? Some basic principles, similar to those that make good news stories, can be applied to help any rookie blogger cultivate a community online.

7: How to write news for the web – Quick. Your editor needs a few paragraphs for the web site. What do you do? Although this brings panic (or apathy) to many newspaper reporters, writing for the web is easy once you see it broken down and understand what readers are looking for.

8: Digital audio – Eventually you will be asked to capture audio to go with your story. Learn the basics of gathering natural sound, recording an interview and editing the clip (with free software) in this chapter.

9: Podcasting – Join the wave of self-broadcasters by producing your own podcast. You’ll be amazed how easy it really is.

10: Audio slideshows – One of the most compelling forms of storytelling online, combining photojournalism with audio produces a great user experience for your audience.

11: Digital photography basics – You have access to a digital camera. Learn how to use it to effectively enhance your storytelling with re-sizing and color correction techniques.

12: Shooting video for news and feature stories – Quickly learn how to shoot video for a story in a way that looks professional and doesn’t require hours of editing to produce the clip. Also learn basic video editing. You can use readily available and cheap software to edit video into nonlinear stories or highlight clips that support your stories.

13: When the tables are turned – The idea of recording audio voiceovers or conducting video stand-ups cause immediate angst for most print journalists. Learn some tricks of the trade to feel normal “on the air.”

14: Putting it all together – Now that you’re armed, don’t be dangerous. You need to find balance and learn to identify the best opportunities to show off your new digitial skills.

Posted by MarkBriggs on Thursday, September 28, 2006
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