Well, hello, there, dearest Community writers, and welcome to this week’s Picks! It’s been another blockbuster week where the things that are true and the things that we know change far quicker than we should, so congrats on making it through and keeping up with the news.
As always, here is a quick reminder of how this particular list is curated from stories written Fri.-Thur. of any given week.
Truly, there is no formula. We tend, unsurprisingly, toward stories with solid writing and fresh perspectives, that cover a wide swath of topics. We’re suckers for stories with a personal bent when we can find them. We also aim to feature different writers whenever possible. Finally, with this diary being put out on Saturdays, we do our best to pick stories that haven’t gone stale by the time I hit Publish.
Please note that this diaries in support of any given presidential candidate are also not eligible until after the nominee is chosen, in the interest of fairness.
We’ve got a nice pile of great writing to get to, but first let’s dive right into this week’s tip, back by popular demand. Last week, we explored how to make your headline look its best, and the week before that we talked about the importance of the Page Break. This week, let’s explore the importance of a good headline, and what should come between it and the Page Break.
But first! A Page Break!
A headline should explain, in the broadest of strokes, what your diary is about. It should promise a good story, without giving everything away—after all, you want people to come and see what you’ve written, right? Otherwise Daily Kos, and all of the other media out there, would just be a bunch of headlines. Equally important is the first sentence, known as the lede, which summarizes the events of the story, yet compels someone to read the story—accomplishing both in as few words as possible. The headline and lede are arguably the most important elements of any given article, and here at Daily Kos, these elements, along with your lead image, or “title image,” as our site calls them, comprise the “preview” that people see on social media. So if you want to reach a wider audience, and really capitalize off of social media shares, these are two elements you can’t ignore.
I can talk about these in-depth in the comments and in coming weeks, as there isn’t exactly a breezy, two-paragraph How-To for the craft of headlines and ledes. They’re sort of things that you learn by doing!
Onward to this week’s picks! Did I miss something? Let me know!
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How to create the Great Facebook Migration.
By herdsire
Everybody wants to leave Facebook, but they’re held hostage by their own circle of Facebook friends. Is there a better option for everyone to defect to at once?
Testing Companies Feel Anti-Test Pressure
By Alan Singer
The war on college entrance exams continues, but the latest news might only be good for the rich.
Why Are Americans So Confused About the Meaning of "Democratic Socialism"?
By Lawrence S Wittner
A quick primer on the oft-reviled concept—and how to combat misconceptions.
On Why I Am Satisfied With My Less than Ideal Job
By Eihenetu
This personal essay is relatable for any reader who’s changed fields or careers.
AZ Is Offering Free Tuition For Prospective Teachers. Also, America Needs More Black Male Teachers
By StevenJoseph
Two big education stories from this week might just complement each other perfectly.
Gun ownership: an unlimited right?
By Left Justified
A thoughtful takedown on the very thesis of the headline, and an exploration of the evolution of assault weapon bans.
The Kavanaugh impeachment payoff: Watergate tapes decision may have been wrong.
By yourguide
Does an old stance from Justice I Like Beer give away how he may act during a Trump impeachment?
Trump's Legal Team Has Made a Big Mistake. Will Congress Take Advantage?
By LeftOfYou
A former attorney takes note of a small detail that can change everything for the impeachment inquiry.
Before my (very) Republican uncle died, he acknowledged a core Democratic truth
By Aldous J Pennyfarthing
One of our busiest and funniest writers sheds the snark for just a moment (mostly) and focuses on a lovely, important family story.
The boat on gradual change has sailed
By PalmFrond
We all know we’ve got to change our ways if we hope to combat the climate crisis. But do we really understand how drastically those changes need to be?
That’s it for this week, folks! As always, sound off in the comments if I missed something great. My Kosmail is always open for links throughout the week as well!
Till next week, keep on writing! Your voices are important and we’re all so glad you’re here.