News Story Writing Skills

Jeremy Szafron
Learning Objectives
Identify the types of news leads and their
elements
Write news leads
Organize news stories
Be accurate and objective
Use third person point of view
Use sentence length and structure that are
appropriate for journalistic writing
Use transitions
Writing the Lead
The lead is the beginning of a news story. It is
the most important part of the story because it
conveys the main idea.
Readers scan leads to gather information quickly
and to help them decide which stories to read.
Readers decide in the first seven to 14 words
whether or not to read a story. The lead must
grab the readers attention and arouse their
curiosity.
Writing the Lead
Direct news leads are used on hard news
stories stories about timely, breaking news.
The first one or two paragraphs, the lead, give
the most important facts about the story.
Leads on soft news stories, the less timely
feature stories about individuals or about
lifestyle issues, are often several paragraphs
long.
Writing the Lead
Soft news leads use anecdotes or set up scenarios
that capture readers imaginations.
These indirect leads may run as many as six to
10 paragraphs before the reader discovers the
subject of the story. But whether a lead is one
paragraph or half a dozen, it must be dynamic
enough to make the reader want to know more.
Prioritizing Information for the Direct
News Lead
The direct news lead puts the most important
information at the top of the story.
Deciding which facts to use to begin the lead is
extremely important.
Leads that tell who, what and why are popular
because readers recognize prominent names,
and they want to know what is happening and
what it means to them.
When something happened is seldom the most
important or interesting part of a story.
Prioritizing Information for the Direct
News Lead
Creating the direct news lead helps writers
organize their stories by forcing them to identify
the basic elements before they begin to write.
Its a good idea for beginning reporters to write
down six one-word questionsWho? What?
When? Where? Why? How?and the key words
that answer each question before starting to
write a lead.
With the answers to these basic questions, the
reporter will be able to organize and write a lead
that includes all the most important info.
Summary Leads
Direct news leads sometimes begin with a
paragraph that summarizes the story and then
add specific details, such as names, ages, dates
and locations, in the second paragraph. These
direct news leads are called summary leads.
Summary Leads cont.
The opening statements of summary leads are
similar to the previews of movies. Readers get an
idea of what the story is about, but they cant
really tell how the story will evolve until they
have more information. Or, like a synopsis of a
short story, the summary lead outlines the plot
but leaves out all the descriptive narrative.
Summary leads help readers determine whether
or not they want to read the story based on a
brief preview of the content.
Summary Leads cont.
Leads that summarize the story before giving
specific information are variations of direct news
leads, because they give all the information
necessary for the reader to know what the story
is about in the first paragraph.
The summary lead adds one or more sentences
to the 5 Ws and an H lead. By the end of the
second paragraph, the reader should know the
basic facts.
Indirect Leads
Indirect leads are leads that set a scene or
begin a story before revealing the topic of the
article.
Indirect leads entice readers to read the article
by introducing a person or situation that arouses
readers curiosity or invites them to feel some
emotion or relationship to the person or subject
of the story.
Indirect Leads cont.
They are also referred to as delayed leads,
feature leads and storytelling leads because
they are usually longer that direct leads and they
most often introduce soft news stories.
Indirect leads have been popular for use in
lifestyle and feature stories for a long time.
Today they are being used for hard news stories,
too, as the trend in newswriting moves toward
making news more reader friendly.
Indirect Leads cont.
Todays reader is also todays television viewer
and computer user who is surrounded by visual
images. Indirect leads tell stories and create
images that help the reader visualize the story.
Some indirect leads appear on news stories, and
some lead into feature stories. They may be
several paragraphs or just one sentence long.
 Your eyes are drooping closed and your
mind is far from the classroom, and you doodle
drawings on your paper just trying to keep
awake.
Today were going to learn about birth
control, class.
Suddenly, your attention shifts to the
teacher rather than to the squirrel prancing
across the telephone wire in the distance.
Who can tell me what I mean by
abstinence?
A few people giggle and others turn red.
What you thought would be another boring day
may turn out to be interesting after all.
Indirect Leads cont.
This indirect lead works because it invites
readers personally into a setting with which they
have some familiarity.
The interest level of this lead is also
strengthened by the writers use of the pronoun
you to include each reader individually in the
scene. While the word you is not appropriate in a
direct news lead, it is occasionally effective in an
indirect lead that invites the reader to become
part of the story.
Types of Leads
Types of Leads handout
Organizing the News Story
The organization of a news story is very
important.
It gives the reader information that explains the
lead.
It tells the story in a logical sequence.
Inverted Pyramid
The sequence in which information is presented
in most news stories is called the inverted
pyramid.
The inverted pyramid organizes information
from most important to least important. The
majority of news stories are written in inverted
pyramid style. Looks like a pyramid turned
upside down.
Inverted Pyramid cont.
The direct news lead is the first paragraph in a
story.
After the lead, the story is logically organized
into blocks of detail that explain the lead.
The reporter uses news judgment to decide
which information is most important and which
can be left for later in the story.
Inverted Pyramid cont.
News judgment is a sixth sense, or intuitive
feeling, that journalists have about what stories
and issues are newsworthy and what their
readers will want to know first in a story about
an event that is important to them.
A journalists news judgment is developed and
strengthened through practice, but even
beginners have some sense about what their
readers will want to know first.
Testing the Inverted Pyramid
Stories can be tested to see if they are organized
in inverted pyramid style. Journalists call this a
crop test.
Crop means to cut or to shorten. To use the crop
test, start at the end of the story. Read each
paragraph and decide whether it contains
information that is absolutely necessary to the
understanding of the basic story.
If several paragraphs can be cropped from the
story without losing important information, it is
written in inverted pyramid style.
The Storytelling Pattern
More and more news stories are being written in
an organizational pattern called the
storytelling pattern.
The storytelling pattern invites the reader in
with an indirect lead.
The body of the article gives the facts and
information necessary in any news story.
The Storytelling Pattern cont.
The ending is usually a clincher, a statement
that returns the reader to the scene introduced
in the opening paragraphs, or that reaches a
conclusion necessary for complete
understanding of the event or story.
The end of the story ties back to the lead and is a
necessary part of the story. It cannot be cropped
without diminishing the meaning of the story.
The Storytelling Pattern cont.
Instead of giving facts in the inverted pyramid
style, from most important to least important,
the storytelling organization tells the story in a
circular fashion. The end of the story refers back
to the beginning, completing the circle of facts
that make up the story.
Choosing an Organizational Pattern
All leads and stories can be organized in more
than one way. No one organizational pattern is
right for every story.
Sometimes a blendputting a storytelling lead
on an inverted pyramid storyworks better than
either inverted pyramid or storytelling
organization.
Choosing an Organizational Pattern
cont.
The reporter determines the organization in the
planning stages of the story.
Hard news storiessuch as those about
accidents, fires and meetingsare most often
written with direct leads and inverted pyramid
organization.
Features and timeless stories most often lend
themselves to indirect leads and storytelling
organization. Human interest news stories may
fall into either category.
Activity
Find three examples of stories written in
inverted pyramid form. Print out each story and
write an explanation of why you think each story
is in inverted pyramid form.
Find three examples of stories written in
storytelling form. Print out each story and write
an explanation of why you think each story is in
storytelling form.
Writing the News Story
Once you have decided what kind of lead your
story calls for, what will go in your lead, and
what organizational pattern you will use to write
your story, the easy part is done. Now begins the
challenging part of writing the storythe writing
itself.
Accuracy
What a reporter writes must be accurate. The
facts must be checked and double-checked. The
spelling of the names and the identification of
the people must be checked and rechecked.
Accuracy cont.
Checking facts with more than one source is a
good habit to develop. Verify information with at
least three sources to be certain it is accurate. If
three sources do not agree, the information
needs to be checked until the reporter is certain
that it is correct. Any information that cannot be
verified should not be used.
Objectivity
Reporters report facts. They must be careful to
maintain objectivitythat is, to report only facts,
not their own opinions. The reporters job is to
look at news from a distance and from all sides.
In a news story, whether it is hard or soft news,
the reporter must present only the facts about an
issue or event and let readers draw their own
conclusions. The reporters personal views and
values should not be part of a story.
Objectivity cont.
Adjectives and adverbs describe things and
events, but some of them imply opinion. Be
careful of words such as definitely, largely,
quickly, eagerly, unfortunately, especially,
really, wonderful, just, tragic, greatly, finally
and only.
Words like these imply emotion or judgment
that must be proven by the facts. The judgmental
or vague word could be omitted without
changing the meaning of the story. Stronger,
more factual statements would result.
Objectivity cont.
Reporters who write news for publications that
appear less often than daily write most of their
news stories in news feature style.
Descriptive words appear more often in features
and in news stories with indirect leads than in
timely news stories. Reporters can use
descriptive words and still be objective if the
descriptive words add detail rather than opinion
to the picture being created for readers.
Objectivity cont.
To be more objective than they might be if they
described a person or a scene themselves,
reporters can quote someone describing the
person or scene.
Reporters sometimes feel so strongly about an
issue that they are tempted to put their opinions
into their stories.
Reporters may quote sources who respond
emotionally to facts in the story, but reporters
must not reveal their personal feelings in writing
news.
Objectivity
Avoid Reporter Opinion handout
Fact vs. Opinion handout
Remaining Objective handout
Point of View
Reporters also demonstrate objectivity through
point of view. News should be written from a
third person point of view with no first or
second pronouns such as I, we or you.
A story written with third person point of view is
written as though the writer were standing back,
watching people in action and writing a
description of their activities.
Point of View cont.
The second person pronoun you can be a
problem for news writers. You gives a command.
It tells the reader how to think and what to do.
Although it is implied in editorials and reviews,
you should not be used in straight news stories.
Even when giving information for individuals to
use, such as phone numbers to call for
information, a reporter should avoid the word
you.
Point of View cont.
The word you is occasionally used in an indirect lead to
entice the reader to become personally involved in the
story, especially if it is a feature story.
After the lead, the story should change to third person.
You is also acceptable in a direct quotation in a story,
because it is being said by someone other than the
reporter.
Quotations are used in news stories to give readers
information from sources. Quotes are also used to
interpret information introduced by the reporters in
news stories.
Readability
Newspaper readers dont want to work hard at
reading and understanding when they read the
paper.
Reporters write in ways that make news easy to
read. Short sentences and short paragraphs
make news appear inviting and easy to read.
Readability cont.
Standard reading material appropriate for a
newspaper audience averages 17 words per
sentence. Some sentences will be longer; some
will be shorter. Variety in sentence length makes
reading interesting.
Transitions
Transitions are the threads and glue that hold
a story together. Transitions are key words,
phrases and even entire paragraphs that link the
sentences and paragraphs together while letting
the reader know when a story moved from one
idea, place or time to another.
Transitions also may help the reader remember
who is speaking. Sometimes they set up
contrasts or comparisons.
Transitions cont.
Common types of transitions are key words,
ideas, or themes; pronouns; transitional terms;
paragraphs; and quotations.
However, more than one type of transition is
usually present in every story.
Key words, ideas or themes
Most stories have one or two key ideas, and they
are identified in the lead. The same words, ideas
or themes appear throughout the story to remind
the reader that the story is still about the same
subject.
Pronouns
Using a pronoun to refer to a person named in
an earlier sentence or paragraph simplifies the
writing.
If a story has more than one subject or source,
pronouns must have clear antecedents to avoid
confusion.
Transitional terms cont.
Each entry in the outline is preceded by a roman
numeral, a letter or number. Each time a new
topic is introduced or a fact that explains the
topic is added, a new letter or number is added
to the outline. The letter or number before the
new information is a transition.
It indicates that another thought is being added,
a different topic is being introduced or a new
time period is being entered. Transitional terms
in news stories serve the same function.
Common types of transitional
terms:
Conjunctions: and, but, or. Conjunctions usually connect
ideas that go together, such as two halves of a compound
sentence, or they set up contrasts that tell the reader that
there is another side to the story.
Additives: also, in addition, again, further, moreover,
finally, in conclusion, next, so, thus. Additives help the
writer move on to the next piece of information.
Contrasts and comparisons: but, however, on the other
hand, yet, instead, likewise, similarly. Words like these
tell readers that there is another side to the story or issue
and that now the reporter is going to tell them about that
other side.
Common types of transitional
terms cont.:
Place indicators: near, here, there, adjacent to, across,
by, alongside, opposite. Any word that tells the reader
that the scene is changing or adds information that
enlarges or adds detail to the picture in the readers
mind may be a transition. These words say, Weve been
here; now we are moving over there.
Time indicators: later, that evening, after, meanwhile,
soon, next, finally. A word or phrase that moves a story
forward or backward in time helps the reader keep track
of the sequence of events. Time indicator transitions
help the reader organize the information chronologically.
Paragraphs and quotations
A paragraph or a quotation can be the transition
that moves a story from one idea to another.
Editing the News Story
Every reporter is an editor. Writers and editors
continuously check stories for accuracy,
organization and writing style. This checking
process is called editing.
Editing is a continual process. It begins as soon
as the reporter receives an assignment and ends
when the story appears in print.
Each decision the reporter makes about which
sources to consult, which facts to include and
which quotes to use is part of the editing
process.
Editing the News Story cont.
Each time the reporter chooses one
organizational pattern or lead instead of another
for a story, that reporter is editing.
Stories should also be carefully reread and
edited for accuracy, objectivity and readability.
After stories are placed on the page, they should
be checked to be sure that vital information has
not been deleted or errors introduced into the
story during the placement process.
Editing the News Story cont.
Editing is a team effort. Everyone who writes,
reads or places a story as it moves through the
newsroom is responsible for editing it.
The teams goal is to make every story as
accurate and well-written as possible. Each
member of the team should check the facts in the
story to make sure their accurate.
Editing the News Story cont.
Each person should question every fact or word
that doesnt seem right, every word or name that
might be misspelled, and all the writing that may
not conform to the publications style or to the
standard rules of grammar.
Getting this feedback from other helps the
reporter identify and correct errors in the
writing or gaps in information before the story
goes out to the readers.