When writing a story think about:
Impact
How many people are affected by the story?
Will it have an affect on their lives or pocketbooks?
Timeliness/ Immediacy
News is supposed to be new.
Get the story out there and quick (but make sure your info is correct)
Proximity
The closer to home, the more newsworthy the story.
Prominence
Names make news.
Does the story involve a well-known celebrity?
Novelty
Something new, odd or surprising?
Conflict
Bad news is often more newsworthy than good news.
Political battle or sports rivalry? Gold.
Emotions
People respond to human interest stories that are inspiring.
Six sources we can use
Newsmakers: policemen, coaches, players
Spokesperson: PR specialists, media relations
Experts: professor, doctor
Official records: Police reports, case studies, court documents
Internet: Real reference websites, official websites (no Wikipedia)
Ordinary people: Witnesses
Do’s and Don’ts
DO familiarize yourself
DO follow the money
DO call sources back
DO write for your readers
DON’T get too cozy
DON’T get used
DON’T waste a source’s time
DON’T simply mimic
The lead of a story
A lead usually contains one idea.
Keep it short– don’t exceed 35 words
Don’t be afraid to use the enter key– break it up if you have to.
Leads are written in active voice– U2 performed hits from their most recent album…
Never say yesterday or today, use the day of the week– after a week use the date.
WHO → WHAT → WHEN→ WHERE
The next part of a story: Nut Graph
Identify the WHO if not addressed in the lead.
Give details of the event: time and/or place.
Begin answering WHY and HOW.
The MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION is at the beginning of the story
Body of story
News graphs can be one sentence, but they should not be more than three to four sentences.
Short, punchy paragraphs are much easier to read.
Make sure to show what the future holds for the story, readers love to know what is coming next.
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