Become a better reporter!
A writer’s best friend
The Weekly Writer’s Handbook is the largest selling manual for beginning reporters and writers on weekly newspapers in the United States. The book is designed for people starting out on weeklies without any formal journalism training. It assumes only that they have a command of the English language and a desire to be a reporter.

Professional advice
Weekly Writer’s Handbook author Ray Laakaniemi has edited weeklies, worked on dailies of 40,000 and 200,000 circulation, operated two college news bureaus and taught journalism at major universities for 30 years. He has a journalism degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s and doctorate from Ohio University in Athens. Ray’s writing style is thorough, accurate, and conversational, making his book enjoyable as well as educational.
A tool of the trade
Among the 38 chapters in the second edition of the Weekly Writer’s Handbook are those on writing for weeklies, the basics of reporting, introductory legal considerations, covering meetings, developing and writing feature stories and a new chapter on writing for newspaper websites. The 230-page book demystifies the reporting process, breaking down information in a concise, easy-to-read format.