News Writing By Michael Flax

A News story

The Inverted Pyramid It tells the story in a logical sequence. It organizes information from _____________________ _____________________. It tells the story in a logical sequence. It organizes information from _____________________ _____________________.

The Inverted Pyramid Lead: __________________________________ ___________________________________________.Lead: __________________________________ ___________________________________________. Most Important Details: ___________________________________ __________________________________.Most Important Details: ___________________________________ __________________________________. Less Important Details:Less Important Details: __________________ __________________ __________________ _______________. Least Important Details: __________ _______.

News Writing Formula Lead- news peg (newest info) _________________________ Lead- news peg (newest info) _________________________

Crop Test This is how you ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ___________________. This is how you ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ___________________.

Crop Test (cont.) Read each paragraph and _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ of the story. If it is not, it can be cropped out of the story without _________________________ _________________________ ________________________. Read each paragraph and _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ of the story. If it is not, it can be cropped out of the story without _________________________ _________________________ ________________________.

Reason for the Crop Test When the stories go on the page, they do not often fit just right. Mostly there is only enough time to fix minor mistakes. That way, if it does not fit properly, _________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________. When the stories go on the page, they do not often fit just right. Mostly there is only enough time to fix minor mistakes. That way, if it does not fit properly, _________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________.

The Storytelling Pattern Invites the reader with an indirect lead. It goes on to give the pertinent facts and information, and it ends with a clincher. Invites the reader with an indirect lead. It goes on to give the pertinent facts and information, and it ends with a clincher.

Clincher A statement that ________ _____________________ _____________________. Or It ___________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________. A statement that ________ _____________________ _____________________. Or It ___________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________.

Storytelling Pattern Lead Fact Clincher

The Storytelling Pattern This for a more playful type of story. Caution: _____________ _____________________ _____________________. Make sure you keep a news story news. This for a more playful type of story. Caution: _____________ _____________________ _____________________. Make sure you keep a news story news.

Choosing an Organizational Pattern No one organizational pattern is right for every story. Sometimes a blend – putting a storytelling lead on an inverted pyramid story – works better than just have one or the other pattern. No one organizational pattern is right for every story. Sometimes a blend – putting a storytelling lead on an inverted pyramid story – works better than just have one or the other pattern.

Choosing an Organizational Pattern Hard news stories are written in the inverted pyramid pattern. –____________ Hard news stories are written in the inverted pyramid pattern. –____________

Choosing an Organizational Pattern Features and timeless stories often follow the storytelling pattern. Human interest news stories ______________________. Features and timeless stories often follow the storytelling pattern. Human interest news stories ______________________.

Writing the News Story Joseph Pulitzer had said: –_______________________ _______________________. –_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________. Joseph Pulitzer had said: –_______________________ _______________________. –_______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________.

Writing the News Story Checking facts with more than one source is a good habit to develop.

Objectivity Reporters report facts. Reporters must avoid ______________________ _____________________. The reporters job is to look at news _______________ _____________________. Reporters report facts. Reporters must avoid ______________________ _____________________. The reporters job is to look at news _______________ _____________________.

Objectivity The reporter writes the news He/she does not ________ _____________________. Once a reporter becomes part of the news ________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________. The reporter writes the news He/she does not ________ _____________________. Once a reporter becomes part of the news ________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________.

Objectivity Adjectives and adverbs describe things and events, but some can imply opinion. __________ Words to be careful with: ____________

Point of View News should be written from a ____________________. It should be written as though the writer was standing back, __________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________. News should be written from a ____________________. It should be written as though the writer was standing back, __________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________.

Point of View _____________________ ____________________. Again, the news writer is an observer/ not a part of the news. _____________________ ____________________. Again, the news writer is an observer/ not a part of the news.

Point of View The ____________________ ________________________ _______________________. YOU gives a ____________. It tells the reader how to think and what to do. Although it is implied in editorials and reviews, _____ ________________________ _______________________. The ____________________ ________________________ _______________________. YOU gives a ____________. It tells the reader how to think and what to do. Although it is implied in editorials and reviews, _____ ________________________ _______________________.

Readability Short sentences and short paragraphs make news appear ________________ ______________________. Sentences in a story average ____________________; some will be longer and some will be shorter. _______________________ ______________________. Short sentences and short paragraphs make news appear ________________ ______________________. Sentences in a story average ____________________; some will be longer and some will be shorter. _______________________ ______________________.

Readability (cont.) The subject-verb-object order is preferred for quick, easy reading. _______________________ _______________________ can often become long and sometimes hard to read. The subject-verb-object order is preferred for quick, easy reading. _______________________ _______________________ can often become long and sometimes hard to read.

Transitions Key words, phrases and entire paragraphs that ____ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________.

Transitions (cont.) They also ______________ ______________________. It breaks up quotes (____________). They help to prevent _____________. Also, they can ___________ ______________________ They also ______________ ______________________. It breaks up quotes (____________). They help to prevent _____________. Also, they can ___________ ______________________

Transitions (cont.) Sometimes they set up _____________________ _______________. They are the __________ _____________________ ____________________. Sometimes they set up _____________________ _______________. They are the __________ _____________________ ____________________.

Works Cited McCutheon, Randall; Schaffer, James; and Stofer, Kathryn T. Journalism Matters. “Chapter 6: Writing a News Story. Lincolnwood,” Il Pgs