News organizations use a journalistic style of writing to structure a story. It typically starts with a hierarchy of information and follows a set of principles commonly used in news articles.
Journalists follow a formula when creating a story, which can be applied to different writing styles, such as novels and school assignments. It helps readers make sense of the information they’re receiving. In this article are steps to write like a journalist.
Step One: Research and Information
Before you start working on a story, you must gather the necessary information. This can be done by going to the location where the incident occurred, interviewing the people involved, and using online research tools.
Step Two: Find Your Focus
A news story has a variety of angles, which are the main elements that make it newsworthy. A story about human interest can have a different focus than a political one. Usually, the first paragraph of a news story reveals the story’s angle.
Step Three: Strong Opening
A good opening is the building block of any good story and should be strong enough to catch the reader’s attention. It should provide the reader with the necessary information to make sense of the story. The five W’s of a good opening are: who, what, when, why, and where. This is the building block of any technical writing, fiction, or content marketing article.
Step Four: Structure
The structure of a good news story is an inverted pyramid composed of the primary information in the top portion of the story, followed by the next section containing supporting details. The story’s bottom section lets the reader find additional exciting facts. This is the main reason why creative writing requires writers to start with the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of their stories.
Step Five: Write Concisely
Journalists commonly use short sentences to deliver a story. Compared to the passive voice, the type of sentence used in headlines, the active agent is more direct and has a quicker tempo. This skill can be improved by working with a copywriting coach. The main objective of this discipline is to create a clear and concise message.
Step Six: Edit Before Publishing
The fast pace of a new office is very demanding on writers, and they should regularly check their work for clarity. A professional editor can help them improve their writing and ensure everything looks good before sending it out.