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