Joseph Pulitzer's instructions on how to best edit a newspaper, as delivered to a new managing editor circa 1910, according to W.A. Swanberg's biography, "Pulitzer."

howtoedit.txt

  1st. What is original, distinctive, dramatic, romantic, thrilling, 
unique, curious, quaint, humorous, odd, apt to be talked about, without 
shocking good taste or lowering the general tone, good tone, and above 
all without impairing the confidence of the people in the truth of the 
stories or the character of the paper for reliability and scrupulous cleanness.

  2nd. What is the one distinctive feature, fight, crusade, public service 
or big exclusive? No paper can be great, in my opinion, if it depends simply 
upon the hand-to-mouth idea, news coming anyhow. One big distinctive feature 
every day at least. One striking feature each issue should contain, prepared 
before, not left to chance.

  3rd. Generally speaking, always remember the difference between a paper made 
for the million, for the masses, and a paper made for the classes. In using 
the word masses I do not exclude anybody. I should make a paper that the judges 
of the Supreme Court of the United States would read with enjoyment, but I 
would not make a paper that only the judges of the Supreme Court and their 
class would read. I would make this paper without lowering the tone in 
the slightest degree.

  4th. Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. Also terseness, intelligent, not 
stupid, condensation. No picture or illustration unless it is first 
class both in idea and execution ...