Writing a News Story

1. Writing a News Story Organizing the News Story

2. Inverted Pyramid • The organizational pattern in which information is presented in most news stories. Information is organized from the most important to the least important.

3. Testing the Inverted Pyramid • Crop test – a test by which journalists determine whether a story is organized in inverted pyramid style. • The journalist begins at the end of the story and decides, on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis, whether the paragraphs can be cropped off without losing essential information.

4. The Storytelling Pattern • An organizational pattern that invites the reader in with an indirect news lead, goes on to give the pertinent (important) facts and information, and ends with a clincher • Clincher – a statement in a news story that returns the reader to the opening paragraph or that reaches a conclusion necessary for complete understanding of the event or story

5. Choosing an Organizational Pattern • All leads and stories can be organized in more than one way. • The journalist must determine the organization during the planning stages of the story. • Hard news stories (such as accidents, fires and meetings) are most often written with direct leads and inverted pyramid organization. • Features and timeless stories most often lend themselves to indirect leads and storytelling organization.

6. Writing the News Story • Accuracy – You must be accurate. Check and re-check all your facts (spelling of the names, identification of the people). • Verify your information with at least three sources. • Any information that cannot be verified should not be used.

7. Writing the News Story • Objectivity – Report only the facts, not your opinions • Your job as a journalist is to look at news from a distance and from all sides. • Journalists should let the readers draw their own conclusions.

8. Objectivity • Adjectives and adverbs describe things and events, but some of them imply opinion. • Be very careful of words such as: • Definitely -really • Largely -wonderful • Quickly -just • Eagerly -tragic • Unfortunately -greatly • Especially -finally • Only

9. Point of View • News is written in 3rd person point of view. (use words like he, she, they, it) • Use NO 1st or 2nd person pronouns. (you, I, me, us)

10. Readability • Newspaper readers don’t want to work hard at reading and understanding when they read the paper. • Short sentences and short paragraphs make news appear inviting and easy to read. • Standard reading material for a newspaper audience averages 17 words per sentence. Varying the length makes it more interesting.

11. 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.

12. Transitions • They are the threads and glue that hold a story together. • Could be a key word, phrase, theme or paragraph that links together the sentences and paragraphs of a story • Lets the reader know when a story moves from one idea, place or time to another. • Could set up contrasts or comparisons

13. Key Words, ideas or themes • Most stories have one or two key ideas which 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.

14. Transitional terms • All kinds of words serve as connectors. • I. Transitions • A. Glue that holds story together • B. Help reader understand story • II. Types of Transitions • A. Key Words • 1. Definition • 2. Example • B. Pronouns • C. Transitional Terms • D. Quotations and paragraphs

15. Transitional Terms • Conjunctions: • and, but, or • Usually connect ideas that go together, 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 • Help the writer move on to the next piece of information

16. Transitional Terms • Contrasts and comparisons: • But, however, on the other hand, yet, instead, likewise, similarly • 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 • Place indicators: • Near, here, there, adjacent to, across, by, alongside, opposite • Any word that tells the reader that the scene is changing and adds information that enlarges or adds detail to the picture in the reader’s mind may be a transition.

17. Transitional Terms • 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. • Help the reader organize the information chronologically

18. Outside Assignment • Find five examples of stories written in inverted pyramid form. Cut out or print each story, and affix it to a piece of paper. Write an explanation of why you think each story is in inverted pyramid form. • Apply the crop test to each story you chose. Draw a line between paragraphs where you think the story could be cut without losing vital information. • Find five examples of stories written in storytelling form. Cut out or print each story, and affix it to a piece of paper. Mark the lead, and draw a line where you think the lead ends. Draw an arrow back to the lead from each paragraph that refers directly to it.

19. February 7-8, 2011 • Using the following facts, write a story in inverted pyramid style. • He is in fair condition at the hospital in Springfield. Cassville is about 50 miles southwest of Springfield. • He has Down’s Syndrome. • Hundreds of volunteers have been looking for him • Two stray dogs apparently kept him alive by curling up with him and keeping him warm. The temperature was 2 degrees overnight. • He had been lost for three days. • One of the dogs chased the ambulance as it drove away with Josh, but then the dog ran off. Neither dog has been found since the rescue. • His name is Josh Carlisle. • A 10-year-old boy has been found. • The dogs’ barking got the attention of a searcher on horseback. • Josh was found about one and one-half miles from his home. • He was lost in the woods near his home in Cassville, Missouri. • Josh has frostbitten toes.

20. February 9-10, 2011 • Using the same facts, write a story in the storytelling pattern. • He is in fair condition at the hospital in Springfield. Cassville is about 50 miles southwest of Springfield. • He has Down’s Syndrome. • Hundreds of volunteers have been looking for him • Two stray dogs apparently kept him alive by curling up with him and keeping him warm. The temperature was 2 degrees overnight. • He had been lost for three days. • One of the dogs chased the ambulance as it drove away with Josh, but then the dog ran off. Neither dog has been found since the rescue. • His name is Josh Carlisle. • A 10-year-old boy has been found. • The dogs’ barking got the attention of a searcher on horseback. • Josh was found about one and one-half miles from his home. • He was lost in the woods near his home in Cassville, Missouri. • Josh has frostbitten toes.