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Chapter 5. Writing News Story Leads. Be creative. Suppose your assignment is to writing about a new drama coach at your school You could write this: Arthur Learner, 42, has been named drama coach at Red Oak High School. ……BORING
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Chapter 5 Writing News Story Leads
Be creative • Suppose your assignment is to writing about a new drama coach at your school • You could write this: • Arthur Learner, 42, has been named drama coach at Red Oak High School. • ……BORING • Or you could dig into Learner’s biography and be able to write a lead like this: • An Air Force flier with a closetful of medals is the new drama coach at Red Oak High School.
Be objective • Your opinion has no place in a news story • Bad example: • At long last, the citizens of Smithville opened their pocketbooks in recognition of the value of education. Yesterday they demonstrated their faith in the youth of America by approving a $5-million bond issue for a new high school. • Better example: • Smiling and relaxing after hearing that a $5-million bond issue for a new high school has been approved, Principal Maria Ortega today commended Smithville citizens for what she called their progressive attitude toward education.
Length • Short leads catch people’s attention because they are easier to read. • Furthermore, long paragraphs are unacceptable for typographical reasons since most newspaper columns are narrow (just over 2 inches) • Even a paragraph that appears short on the screen will seem long when it’s squeezed into a narrow printed column
Grammar and content • Bad example: • Your Student Council is considering several new projects. • It’s a “say nothing” lead. There’s not enough information to draw the reader in. • In addition, the word “your” should be avoided because it inserts the writer into the story. Instead, it should be substituted with the word “the”
Grammar and content • Bad example: • A reminder to those who enjoy new recordings. The library has 22 new compact disks that it’s willing to loan out! All students are invited to come look them over! • The opening sentence isn’t even a sentence. There are times when sentence fragments are acceptable if used for impact, but this is not one of those times. • Secondly, is it news that libraries are willing to loan out their materials? No. • Also, avoid exclamation marks in journalism. • Better way to write this lead: • Twenty-two new compact disks have been placed in the school’s library, the head librarian announced.
Grammar and content • Bad example: • Principal Mark Takima discussed some of the problems of the school’s science program at the Science Club meeting Monday afternoon. • Another “say nothing” lead. Why not tell your readers what was discussed? Be specific. • In any story about a meeting, speech, panel discussion, etc. the focus should not be on the fact that someone spoke, but rather on what was said.
Quote Lead • Use almost never • Bad Example: • “I promise the people of this city that we are going to solve our parking problem next year.” • LAZY reporting • Better example: • Mayor Glen Rebalchenko promised today that he will solve Oakton’s parking problem this year.
Quote Leads • A few examples of when they work: • “You’ve got to send me to a hospital,” insisted the 8-year-old boy, “because I’m going to kill myself.” • “She told us to pray,” Tara McCoy recalled softly. “The nun told us to pray and it would all go away.”
Question leads • A question lead, very simply, is a lead that asks a question • Avoid almost always
Tease leads • Leads that coax the reader into a story by making them want to know what the lead is referring to • Example: • People go to him when they want to get something on their chests.
