Jennifer Bryant - Writing and Editing Tips

Book Signings at Dressage at Devon

2008-09-20T23:29:00Z

Dressage at Devon, Devon, PA, is the preeminent dressage show in the US, with a great trade fair. I’ll be signing copies of Olympic Equestrian and The USDF Guide to Dressage at The Paddock Saddlery booth Friday, Sept. 26, from 2:00-3:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 27, from 4:00-5:00 p.m.; and Sunday, Sept. 28, from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Writer's Block Is a Gift

2008-09-03T20:39:00Z

Writer’s block is a gift. Why? Because it means you have time to fiddle and faddle with your words (or the lack thereof). Writing on deadline—as in news coverage for a Web site—is a sure cure for I-don’t-know-how-to-begin. Get yourself an assignment that requires you to file the story right away, and you’ll find that when you absolutely, positively have to write, you can somehow manage it. Don’t know how to snag such an assignment? Try signing up for a Journalism 101-type class—anything that will force you to create on the clock.

Book Signing This Weekend

2008-09-03T20:31:00Z

Saturday, September 6 is forecast to be rainy. What better way to spend the day than with good books? Come out to the Chester County Book Company, West Chester, PA, one of the area’s largest independent booksellers. Fresh (and mostly rested) from the 2008 Games in China, I’ll be signing copies of Olympic Equestrian: A Century of International Horse Sport beginning at 1:00 p.m. I’ll be happy to share stories of Hong Kong!

Off to Hong Kong

2008-07-30T19:33:00Z

I’ll be spending much of August in Hong Kong, covering the 2008 Olympic equestrian events. Read my reports and blogs for USDF and The Horse.

Need Olympic equestrian coverage for your media outlet or a press release for your business?

Awards for USDF Connection

2008-07-01T01:27:00Z

The magazine I edit, USDF Connection, took home three prizes from the 2008 American Horse Publications awards contest. An article and a cover illustration each took first place in its respective category, and the magazine won the General Excellence, Association Magazine honorable mention.

Deconstruct Good Writing

2008-06-25T18:14:00Z

Sit down with a few copies of a magazine you enjoy. Don’t just read the articles; analyze the way they’re crafted. What do you admire about the writing, and why? What kinds of “voices” shine through? What narrative and organizational devices do the stories employ? To become a better writer, become a critical reader.

Book Signing

2008-06-25T18:10:00Z

I’ll be signing copies of Olympic Equestrian: A Century of International Horse Sport Saturday, June 28, from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Rick’s Heritage Saddlery, West Chester, PA.

Go the Extra Mile for Your Editor

2008-04-27T19:39:00Z

You’ve slaved over your story: an assigned profile of business tycoon Donald Trump. Don’t send your editor the story with the non-title “Donald Trump Profile.” Give it a catchy headline that’s appropriate for the media outlet, and add a deck (subtitle) while you’re at it. Your title may or may not get used, but your editor will appreciate your efforts.

Author Q&A online

2008-04-27T19:35:00Z

Read a Q&A about the newly revised edition of my book Olympic Equestrian in Eclipse Press’s Media Room.

The Devil Is in the Details

2008-02-09T20:05:00Z

Paint your readers a complete picture. Refer to “the slender fawn Greyhound with huge dark eyes and a black-tipped muzzle” instead of “the brown dog.”

Pilates Book Featured at USDF Convention

2008-02-09T19:40:00Z

Betsy Steiner, lead author of A Gymnastic Riding System Using Mind, Body & Spirit, signed books and was a keynote speaker at the 2007 USDF convention.

A Recipe for "How-to" Writing

2008-01-26T00:08:00Z

Step-by-step “how-to” articles are difficult to write well. Think of your article as a recipe in a cookbook: If the reader follows your instructions exactly, will he or she achieve precisely the desired result? If not, find the glitches—perhaps missed steps or imprecise instructions—and fix them for a delicious outcome, every time.

Olympic Equestrian Revision Coming Soon

2008-01-25T23:56:00Z

In time for the 2008 Games, Eclipse Press is publishing the revised edition of my book Olympic Equestrian—now subtitled A Century of International Horse Sport. With updated results, new rider profiles and interviews, and stunning new photos. Look for it this spring!

Lean, Mean, and Clean

2007-07-02T18:16:00Z

Got a 1,500-word assignment? Take the time to pare your story down to the allotted length. Turn in clean copy: fact-checked, spell-checked, and with suggested head, deck, and subheads. Your editor will thank you.

AHP Awards

2007-07-02T18:12:00Z

The USDF Guide to Dressage took third place in its book division in the 2006 American Horse Publications awards contest. “Competitor’s Rescue Guide,” a piece I wrote for the April 2006 issue of USDF Connection, took third in the large-circ “Service to the Reader” category.