When reporting news or current events, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Strong Leads. Your lead should be straight, powerful and to the point. If you’re writing about an older event, try fashioning your nut graph the same way. After all, it’s technically a lead, albeit one that explains why something that’s not breaking is so relevant.
The Iceberg Effect. While the beginning can draw in the reader, the overall strength of the story lies underneath the tip. Its power and impact will depend on the quality of your interviews, detailed research and understanding that you can use to communicate the story to your readers.
Only The Most Precious Stone. As much as you can, include only the best information you can find – the most poignant quotations, the most revealing statistics and the most telling facts. Leave out the rest, unless they are vital to the reader’s understanding. Reporting is not about dumping information; it has more to do with sorting through the pile and finding those that will facilitate the best communication.
Check Your Facts. Reporting is particularly tricky with facts, as you’ll have to strike a balance between qualifying them and being able to reach the reader in a timely manner. Your story’s accuracy depends on it.
Get Your Tools Handy. When you need to write fast, you have to work with the tools that can help speed up the process. As such, always keep your best writing software, dictionary, style book and whatever other instrument you require within reach.
Tags: news, news reporting, news writing
