writing the news story
Post on 23-Feb-2016
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Writing the news story
Or forget everything that you ever knew about writing
5 Ws and H
Creed that news writers live byWhoWhatWhereWhen Why How
Who?• Sometimes most important aspect of story• Be sure to spell name correctly
What?
• What happened• Be specific• USE Action verbs to tell details
Where?
• Sometimes critical to the story; • Other times extra information
When?•Seldom important•Do not begin story with when unless critical to the information•Be specific •Ex: At 7:15 yesterday the Washington police found a body
Why?• Seldom the first part of the
lead• What the newspapers can
offer more of than television and radio
How?• Seldom first part of the
story
News LeadsDo’s and Don’t’s
• Do’s• Maintain verb tense• Write in third person• Ex: Your Student Government is considering
several new projects.
Keep modifiers as close as possible to word modified.Ex: Alumni of the University of Pittsburgh in New York will meet for their annual dinner. .
Be objective
• Use factual information only. Avoid words like finally, at long last, ; • Avoid words of attribution like
claimed, purported, insisted
KISS---Use clear words
• Not Identical –Use same • Not Edifice—Use building• Not Inebriated—Use drunk• Avoid Jargon (language specific to a
particular group)• Avoid Slang
Be concise
• Use as few words as possibleeClear and simple
• Not: The Student Council of Woodland Hills High School.
• Instead: The WHHS Student Council• Not: He is a teacher of Biology• Instead: He teaches biology
Be Objective
• Choose words that are not loaded with emotion, • Choose words that do not judge• Choose words that do not predict• Armed, ideological settlers are unlikely to
engage in organized armed conflict with the Israeli military, as some fear, because their beliefs make them hesitant to turn against their own.
Use action verbs
• Not “He is a football player”• Instead: He plays football.• Not: “Josephine is in the Chamber Choir’• Instead: Josephine sings in Chamber choir. • Not: She has a lot of books.• Instead: She carries many books.
Use active voice
• Active voice is when the subject performs the action
• Ex: Yezovich threw the touchdown pass to subject verb
Smith.Passive: The touchdown pass was thrown to
Smith.
Use Active voice
Active• The soccer ball hit Christian in the eye, giving
him a black eye.
PassiveChristian was hit in the eye by the soccer ball,
giving him a black eye.
Use interesting words
• Not big—extensive, massive• Not nice—interesting, classic, etc.• No linking verbs: tell the reader what the
person or group is DOING• Example: She plays softball
notShe is a softball player
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