Jeff Butera
@WriteLikeUTalk
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"Write Like You Talk" is a guide to broadcast news writing. Buy: https://t.co/NV4TKsH1Fv “A broadcast news bible” “A master class in 150 pages." "A must-read."
Fort Myers, FL
Joined February 2015
If you have an issue with your book order (wrong address provided, lost in mail), please contact me! . Jeff@WriteLikeYouTalk.com . There are easy fixes to problems and I will make sure you get your book! . Just reach out. Please! . #WriteLikeYouTalk
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Don’t talk down to people. Don’t tell them what they already know. Don’t ask them to listen to common sense. We gotta raise the bar and we best do it fast.
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Example: .☀️I work in Florida. 😓Florida is hot. 🧠Everyone knows that. If you’re a Florida station spending time telling viewers that they need to stay hydrated, that they need to wear sunscreen, that they need to cover their screen, you’re wasting their time!
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But if all you’re giving the viewer is information they already have, what’s the point?? . That’s like asking people leaving a restaurant if they want to buy a meal. They already ate. They don’t need what you're selling.
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🧵FACT: If we don’t offer the viewer something they don’t know, TV news won’t survive. 📺We MUST create valuable content that informs.
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There is an effort -- clear as day -- to suggest reporters pushing for accountability is *wrong.*. It's not. Don't let ANYONE tell you otherwise. More than 100 people are dead. Figuring out why and how to prevent it from happening again is IMPERATIVE. Keep pushing, friends.
The Kerrville mayor lecturing the press for wanting answers for a coms breakdown where over 100 died is just 🤯.
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Always keep pushing the story forward! . New. Now. Next. Viewers can tell when you don't have new information. And they're changing the channel.
Real life example of why we use new, now, next when writing scripts. I told our camera operator that I bought a tv. His response was "ya you told me that yesterday." I meant to tell him that it was delivered, and I plan on mounting it. I buried the new info. @WriteLikeUTalk.
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What does #WriteLikeYouTalk mean in TV News? . This 🔽🔽🔽. NO: The targeted time frame for re-opening the park is late fall 2026. YES: They want to re-open the park late next year. Say it like a normal person! .#WriteLikeYouTalk
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📺TV JOURNOS, NEED SOME HELP -- . I've got a mammoth number of interviews to log for a big project. I've never utilized audio transcription, but now feels like the right time to try. Any suggestions?!?
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RT @Buccaneers: The leaders of the most successful five-year stretch in Bucs history are staying in the Bay 💪
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AND it's especially true in TV News. Because that's how people talk. #WriteLikeYouTalk.
It is perfectly acceptable to begin a sentence with ‘and.’ . And it’s equally acceptable to begin a sentence with ‘but’ or ‘or.’.
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RT @WriteLikeUTalk: REMINDER -- . Teases are NOT just something you say. They're supposed to give the viewer a reason to keep watching.….
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REMINDER -- . Teases are NOT just something you say. They're supposed to give the viewer a reason to keep watching. When you write them, ask yourself: Would this make me want to watch? . If the answer is no, you're just talking. #WriteLikeYouTalk
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RT @GageGoulding: ‼️‼️‼️ Covering crime (and only crime) doesn’t move the needle with viewers anymore. Actually, it hasn’t in a while.
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FOUR TENETS: . 1) 8-12 words per sentence .2) One sentence, one thought.3) No cliches & journalese .4) #WriteLikeYouTalk.
For any new followers -- . Hi!. I'm Jeff. I anchor news in Tampa Bay. I'm the author of "Write Like You Talk." .BUY: It's a guide to conversational writing. Basic premise: We connect w/viewers by speaking their language. That's a conversational one.
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For any new followers -- . Hi!. I'm Jeff. I anchor news in Tampa Bay. I'm the author of "Write Like You Talk." .BUY: It's a guide to conversational writing. Basic premise: We connect w/viewers by speaking their language. That's a conversational one.
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My belief: Our coverage should put up a mirror to our community. It's a reflection of who we are. Ask yourself: Are you living in a crime-infested region? If not, our newscasts shouldn't feel like it.
@WriteLikeUTalk Lord, please share this with digital teams as well. Especially on some weekends when newsrooms are slower, by Monday, some front pages of local news websites are filled with crime and violence, including a mix of wire stories beyond their market.
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For the reporters: . If you're afraid a producer is 'taking your good stuff' by putting it in the tease or the anchor intro, just remember. if the viewer doesn't make it to or through the anchor intro, they're not seeing your package at all!.
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Let's talk about anchor intros to packages. 1) Write them FIRST, not LAST. 2) Focus on the BEST way to immediately engage the viewer. Words. Video. Sound. Nats. Whatever grabs attention, use it. 3) Don't slow-walk. Avoid common sense stuff everyone knows. Engage!
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EXAMPLES . The moon AFFECTS the tides. The moon has a significant EFFECT on the tides.
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