Story Structure

• Before you write, plan what you want to write

• The process begins while you are reporting the story

•In all writing, every sentence and every paragraph serves a purpose

Two key questions to ask:

•1. What do I want to say?•2. Where does it go?

•Sort your answers into four categories, and these become the four sections of the story.

The four sections of a basic news story

• 1. The Lead• 2. The material that explains and

amplifies the lead• 3. The background (if necessary)• 4. The less important material (if

space permit).

Single-element Story• The lead is the most important

idea• The explanatory material builds on

the lead.• The background gives readers the

context and relevance of an event.• The less important material adds

details that readers may be interested in, but do not need to understand the story.

Single-element, with themes• 1. The lead-most important idea.

• 2. Explanatory material- builds on lead.

• 3. Introducing of lesser ideas.• 4. Background (if any, if necessary)• 5. More elaboration of lead and

lesser ideas.• 6. Secondary material (if any)

Multiple-element Story• 1. Lead. Idea A; Idea B.• 2. Explanatory material.

Elaboration of Idea A and Idea B• 3. Introduction of lesser ideas.• 4. Background (if necessary)• 5. Further elaboration of big ideas

and lesser ideas• 6. Secondary material (if space

permits)

• LONDON — In the end, Friday’s wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton may not have ushered in a new dawn for the frayed royal family or brought a renewed era of optimism to a country beset by financial woes, as some predicted in the overheated countdown to the big day.

•But it proved that the British still know how to combine pageantry, solemnity and romance (and wild hats) better than anyone else in the world.

• It was an impeccably choreographed occasion of high pomp and heartfelt emotion, of ancient customs weaked by modern developments.

• Viewing estimates for the ceremony, at 11 a.m. British time on the dot, hovered in the three billion range, give or take 500 million. Australians held bouquet-throwing competitions; people in Hong Kong wore Kate and William masks;

• New Yorkers rose by dawn to watch the entrance of guests like Victoria Beckham, teetering pregnantly in sky-high Christian Louboutin heels, Guy Ritchie, the former Mr. Madonna, and assorted monarchs from European countries that are no longer monarchies, like Bulgaria.

• In London, the Metropolitan Police said, a million people lined the route of the royal procession, and half a million gathered in front of Buckingham Palace to watch the bride and groom, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, kiss (twice) on the palace balcony.

• People paid attention almost despite themselves.