Greetings, dearest Daily Kos Community! Congratulations on making it through another chaotic week, and thanks for the wonderfully endless stream of content you created. As always, it was a joy to read your diaries. We’ve got a big list this week, with a whopping 14 Picks. As always, I hope you’ll let me know if we missed anything great this week, or whenever you come across great writing in the future.
Before we dig in, let’s take a moment for 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.
Additionally, based on your feedback, I’ll be including a writing tip or two in every diary as well. Last week, we tackled the oh-so-important Page Break, just like the one you’re about to encounter!
Hello again!
This week’s writing tips focus solely on headline writing, in an effort to help Community writers conform with the Daily Kos’ stylebook. “Stylebook,” by the way, is a word that might sound like it covers sartorial choices, but really, it just refers to the writing protocol at any given media outlet. Some outlets have best practices similar to ours, while others have a different stylebook entirely. We, the Daily Kos content staff, conform to the ever-evolving AP style, with a few deviations that the Powers That Be have found work best for us.
All of this is to say that sometimes, what’s a no-no here could be a go-go somewhere else. I wish I had some ultra-reasonable motivations to share with you regarding our stylebook, to help drive these requirements home, but as far as I can guess, style is a matter of what any given publisher thinks looks best.
On to those headline tips!
CAPITALIZATION IN HEADLINES: FORGET THE CAMEL CAPS, PLEASE!
Here at Daily Kos, we capitalize only the first word of a headline, and proper nouns. Look at any given staffer headline and you’ll notice that we don’t capitalize every word, a practice called “Title Case” or “Camel Caps.” (Note: Camel Caps are not to be mistaken with camelCase, which is best demonstrated by Apple’s ceaseless stream of product names that start with lowercase “i.”)
When it comes to Camel Caps, just say no.
Here’s an example!
CORRECT: This is how you write a headline
INCORRECT: This Is Not How You Write A Headline
You’ll notice that other outlets might use Title Case. The New York Times springs to mind. That doesn’t mean the NYT is wrong, as I noted above (at least when it comes to Camel Caps, har har). It just means they adhere to a different stylebook than Daily Kos.
Next!
QUOTATIONS IN HEADLINES: SINGLE QUOTATION MARKS, NOT DOUBLE
This rule, more than Title Case, is fairly universal. Don’t ask me why. I can’t answer.
Here’s an example:
CORRECT: ‘I don’t know why’: Sutherland can’t answer quotation mark query
INCORRECT: “I don’t know why”: Sutherland Can’t Answer Quotation Mark Query
Let’s keep the writing tips conversation going this week, folks, instead of piling on an additional topic. What else do you want to know, when it comes to the Daily Kos stylebook? Tell me in the comments—you know I’m here for you!
Without further ado, here are this week’s picks!
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A Day In the Life/In the Belly of the Beast
By freewayblogger
Our fearless freewayblogger had his Twitter account suspended last month for no gosh darn reason. In this diary, he shares the story of his visit to Blue Bird’s headquarters, and his determination to fight back.
Finally! "GOP in disarray, Democrats united" Let's keep it going!
By hummingbird4015
For so much of modern time, the mainstream media insist on reporting about party unity—namely that Republicans have it, and Democrats don’t. As the impeachment of Donald Trump looms, the headlines are changing.
Uber has a new way to separate workers from their money and disrupt good labor practices
By Krotor
As if every other thing Uber does to its workers aren’t bad enough, now they’re getting into the temp worker industry.
A disease claims another victim; I lost my dad to FOX News.
By SquireForYou
It seems like we’ve all lost someone to Hannity, Ingraham, or Tucker. Here’s one man’s story of losing his father to the cult of Trump.
Crossing the US Border to ask for Asylum is ALWAYS legal. No Visa required.
By Abraham1771
We here at Daily Kos know that seeking asylum is legal, despite what this administration may shout. This diary explores the 1951 Refugee Convention and the hundreds of thousands of Hungarians it helped in 1956.
Photo Diary: Birmingham 16th Street Baptist church bombing memorials
By Lenny Flank
Four little girls—Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley—died in one of the most notorious acts of violence during the Civil Rights Era. Our dear Lenny Flank shares their story before showing how Birmingham pays permanent tribute to their lost innocence.
In the last financial crisis, international cooperation saved the US. In the next, it won't be there.
By Neil Baron
Between the rifts Trump has fomented across the world, and the utter lack of morals and experience among the people he’s chosen to oversee the economy, we might not have any friends left if the predicted recession comes.
A quick impeachment privileges primer
By KeithDB
Rudy Giuliani has been subpoenaed as a part of the House impeachment inquiry. Does he have any right to invoke any privileges in order to avoid testifying? As quick a read as the title promises.
Meeting the world, one telemarketer at a time
By AuntieB
An adorable chronicle of one Community member who chooses to engage with telemarketers instead of hang up on them.
Firing a pastor, impeaching this president - same problem, same solution
By glendenb
A church elder recounts the lengthy and challenging journey to fire a pastor, and draws the remarkably clear parallels to the current impeachment inquiry.
Climate disaster survival: We belong to each other
By Besame
This powerful entry from the KosAbility team explores displacement caused by natural disasters and climate change, through the lens of the disabled communities most vulnerable to being left behind. In the end, the message is one that applies to us all.
Meat Cheaters' Feat
By gauchiste
A slightly snarky reality check on the important and far-from-impossible lifestyle changes that all global citizens must make if we want to save our home.
Understanding the “Biden Scandal!!” and “CrowdStrike” aspects of Trump's Ukraine scandal
By David Michigan
An extremely accessible primer on the two distractions Trump keeps offering his followers whenever he’s asked about the whistleblower, Ukraine, or the impeachment inquiry.
Study: Lies about abortion dominate media coverage
By ZawnVillines
The media outlet who reports most on reproductive choice is also the outlet that believes it’s murder; additionally, most of its “reporting” is actually all lies. A deep dive into the failures of the mainstream media to get the truth out about the right to choose.
That’s it for this week, folks! As always, please do let me know if we missed anything in the comments, and don’t hesitate to discuss this week’s writing tips or ask other questions about Daily Kos’ stylebook.
Keep on writing, dearest ones, and thank you for your words. On behalf of the entire Daily Kos staff, please know that we are so glad you’re here.