Letstalkabout

News Writing
ByJeanneActon,UIL&ILPCJournalismDirector

News Writing
givesthereaderinformationthatwill
impacttheminsomeway.Itusually
flowsfrommostimportanttoleast
important.
Whatisnews?Itisinformationonly.
WalterCronkite,formerCBSNews
anchor

Checklist for News Stories

Arethemostimportantandrecentfactsfirst?
Isthestoryaccurate?Arethesourcesidentified
fully?
Aretheparagraphsshort?
Isthesentencestructurevariedinthestory?
Isthestoryneatanddoublespacedsothatitiseasy
toread?
Doesyourstoryflow?Didyouusethe
transition/quoteformula?
Didyouuseactivevoice?

Pitfalls to Avoid
EditorializingKeepyouropinionoutofthe
story
UsingfirstandsecondpersonKeepyourself
outofthestory.Commonerrorourschool
Missingthenewspeg
Messyhandwriting,poorgrammarandspelling
Paragraphstoolong
Misspellingnamesinthestory
Tryingtousealloftheinformation

Transition/Quote Formula
Lead:
Most important information. Focus on newest
information. Focus on the future.

Additional Information:
Important information not found in the lead.
Sometimes not needed.

Linked
Direct Quote:
Connects to the additional information or lead.
Use more than one sentence.

Transition:

Linked

Next important fact or opinion for the story .

Use transition words to help story flow . Transition can be a fact, indirect quote or partial
quote.

Side Notes:
1) Each box is
a new a paragraph.
2) Story
should flow
frommost
important to
least important
information.

Direct Quote:
Connects to the first transition. Use more than
one sentence. Do not repeat the transition in the
quote. DQ should elaborate on the transition.
DQ should give details, opinions, etc.

Transition:

Linked

Next important fact or opinion for the story .

Use transition words to help story flow . Transition can be a fact, indirect quote or partial
quote.

Direct Quote:
Connects to the second transition. Use more
than one sentence. Do not repeat the transition
in the quote. DQ should elaborate on the transition. DQ should give details, opinions, etc.

and so on... until the story is complete

Lets start at
the beginning
with LEADS.

Letstalkabout

Leads

Lead:
Most important information. Focus on newest
information. Focus on the future.
Question to ask yourself:
What do my readers need to know most???

Leads
Moststraightnewsleads
shouldbesummaryleads.
Thatmeanstheysummarize
the5WsandHofthestory,
startingoffwiththemost
importantWorH.

Types of News Leads:

Rarely use these...
Who lead - begins with a person. Theperson
is usually not the most important fact of the story.

When lead - begins with time. Rarely is the

timethemost imporant factor.

Wherelead - begins with theplace. Hardly

ever is wherethe most important factor.

Types of News Leads:

Use these often...
How lead - begins with thehow of thestory.
Used often.

Why lead - begins with thecausethestory.

Used often.

What lead - begins with the fact of thestory.

Used often.

Who lead
Notsogood
PrincipalJoeBlowannouncedTuesdaythat
studentswillnolongerbeallowedtoleavecampus
forlunchduetoexcessivetardies.
Better
PresidentBarackObamawillmakeabrief
appearanceatthehighschoolThursdayaftergiving
aspeechattheCountyExpoCenter.

When lead
Notsogood
OnTuesdayPrincipalJoeBlowannouncedthatstudents
willnolongerbeabletoleavecampusforlunch.
Better
OnSaturdayPresidentBarackObamawillspeaktothe
seniorclassabouthowimportantcommunityorganizing
andvolunteeringaretothecountry.

Where lead
Avoidwhereleads
AttheschoolboardmeetingonTuesday,PrincipalJoe
Blowannouncedthathehasendedtheoffcampuslunch
policy.

Maybeprobablyyes.
Intheprincipalsoffice,theseniorclassdumped30
poundsofsandtoprotestthecancellationofthesenior
triptoCancun.

How lead
Throughagrassrootsvotingeffort,
seniorGilbertCastillowonthemayoral
electiontobecometheyoungestmayorin
thecityshistory.

Why lead
Becausetheywantedtocarryonthe
tradition,fourseniorsstreakedacrossthe
footballstadiumduringthehomecoming
peprallywearingapaperleisandtennis
shoes.

What lead
TheHarryPotterseriesandLord

oftheRingsserieswillberemoved
fromallschoollibrariesthisfall.

Now that we know the type of lead

we are looking for, how do we write
a good lead?
readtheentireprompt
findthenewestinformationintheprompt
bewareofolder,morecontroversialnews
writeonetotwosentencessummarizingthe
newnewsincludingasmanyotherWsandH
aspossible

Letstalkabout

Direct
Quotes

Direct Quotes:
Shouldbelinkedtothetransition/leadbeforethem.The
quoteshouldelaborateonthetransition.
Forexample:
PresidentBarackObamawillmakeabrief
appearanceatthehighschoolThursdayaftergivinga
speechattheCountyExpoCenter.
Heiscomingasafavortome,PrincipalIke
Sumtersaid.WeworkedtogetherinChicagoas
communityorganizers.Ihopehegetsachancetospeak
tosomeseniorsaboutwhattheycandofortheir
country.

Direct Quotes:
Shouldnotrepeatthetransition/leadbeforethem.
Forexample:
PresidentBarackObamawillmakeabriefappearance
atthehighschoolThursdayaftergivingaspeechatthe
CountyExpoCenter.
AfterspeakingattheExpoCenter,thecandidatewill
cometothehighschoolforashortappearance,Principal
IkeSumtersaid.

Direct Quotes:
Canbelongerthanonesentence.
Shouldhaveattributionafterthefirstsentenceof
thequote.
Attributionshouldbe:Nounthenverb.
Forexample:
CorrectseniorBobRodriguezsaid.
IncorrectsaidseniorBobRodriguez.

(unlessyouhaveanunusuallylongtitle)

Donotplacetwopeoplesdirectquotesnextto
eachotherwithoutatransition.

Letstalkabout

Transitions

Transitions
VERY,VERYIMPORTANT.Holdthestorytogether.

Linktheparagraphstogether.
Canbefact,indirectquoteorapartialquote.

ForexampleFACTTRANSITION:
(lead)FormerRepublicanpresidentialcandidateJohn
McCainwillspeaktoseniorsFridayabouthisexperienceas
aprisonerofwar.
(DirectQuote)Seniorswilllearnalotaboutdutyand
commitmentwhentheyhearSen.McCain,PrincipalIke
Sumtersaid.Wearesoexcitedthatheagreedtocome.
(FactTransition)DuringtheVietnamWar,Sen.McCain
wasaprisonerofwarforfiveyears.

Transitions
Canbefact,indirectquoteorapartialquote.

ForexampleINDIRECTQUOTETRANSITION:
(lead)FormerRepublicanpresidentialcandidate
JohnMcCainwillspeaktoseniorsFridayabouthis
experienceasaprisonerofwar.
(DirectQuote)Seniorswilllearnalotabout
dutyandcommitmentwhentheyhearSen.
McCain,PrincipalIkeSumtersaid.Weareso
excitedthatheagreedtocome.
(IQTransition)Sumtersaidhewasmovedafter
hearingSen.McCainspeakabouthis
imprisonment.

Transitions
Canbefact,indirectquoteorapartialquote.

ForexamplePARTIALQUOTETRANSITION:
(lead)FormerRepublicanpresidentialcandidate
JohnMcCainwillspeaktoseniorsFridayabouthis
experienceasaprisonerofwar.
(DirectQuote)Seniorswilllearnalotaboutduty
andcommitmentwhentheyhearSen.McCain,
PrincipalIkeSumtersaid.Wearesoexcitedthathe
agreedtocome.
(PartialQuoteTransition)Sumtersaidhehadtears
inhiseyeswhenheheardSen.McCainspeakabouthis
imprisonment.

What comes next??

(lead)FormerRepublicanpresidential
candidateJohnMcCainwillspeaktoseniors
Fridayabouthisexperienceasaprisonerofwar.
(DirectQuote)Seniorswilllearnalotabout
dutyandcommitmentwhentheyhearSen.
McCain,PrincipalIkeSumtersaid.Weareso
excitedthatheagreedtocome.
(PartialQuoteTransition)Sumtersaidhe
hadtearsinhiseyeswhenheheardSen.
McCainspeakabouthisimprisonment.

The T/Q formula

Sumtersaidhehadtearsinhiseyeswhenhe
heardSen.McCainspeakabouthisimprisonment.
Itisamazingwhatthismansurvived,Sumter
said.Hewastortureddaily,buteverydayhetold
hisfellowsoldierstoholdtheirheadhigh.Someone
wascomingforthem.
Sen.McCainsaidtheexperiencewasaliving
hell,buthenevergaveuphope.
IknewIwouldmakeitbacktoAmericansoil
oneday,hesaid.Hopeisalwaysalive,andthat
waspartofmymessageasapresidentialcandidate,
too.

Transitions
Usetransitionalwordstohelpwiththeflow
(asneeded):Afterall,Also,Finally,In
addition,However,Otherwise,Then
Forexample:
Inadditiontospeakingabouthis
experienceasaprisonerofwar,McCainalso
planstotalktostudentsabouttheimportance
ofvoting.

Transition/Quote Formula

Lets Review

Lead:
Most important information. Focus on newest
information. Focus on the future.

Whattypesof
leadsshould
youusemore?

Additional Information:
Important information not found in the lead.
Sometimes not needed.

Linked

Where
shouldyou
placethe
attribution
foradirect
quote?
Howmany
sentences
cana
direct
quotebe?

Direct Quote:
Connects to the additional information or lead.
Use more than one sentence.

Transition:

Linked

Next important fact or opinion for the story .

Use transition words to help story flow . Transition can be a fact, indirect quote or partial
quote.

Followinga
transition,
whatshoulda
Side Notes: directquote
1) Each box is
a new a para- do?
graph.
2) Story
should flow
frommost
important to
least important
information.

Direct Quote:
Connects to the first transition. Use more than
one sentence. Do not repeat the transition in the
quote. DQ should elaborate on the transition.
DQ should give details, opinions, etc.

Transition:

Linked

Next important fact or opinion for the story .

Use transition words to help story flow . Transition can be a fact, indirect quote or partial
quote.

Whatcana
transition
be?

Whatisthe
purposeofthe
transition?

Direct Quote:
Connects to the second transition. Use more
than one sentence. Do not repeat the transition
in the quote. DQ should elaborate on the transition. DQ should give details, opinions, etc.

and so on... until the story is complete

What went wrong?

Duringthe201011schoolyear,ourschoolhasreported
22fightssofar.Lastyear,theschoolhad18totalfights.
Oneofmyfriendsgotinafight,buthedidntstartit.He
wasdefendinghimself,saidfreshmanAndyOpel.
Inresponsetotheescalatingfights,theschooldistrict
hiredtheTeenConflictResolutionTeamtohelpstudents
solvedisagreementsthroughnonviolentsolutions.
AfterMarch23,anystudentcaughtfightingoncampus
mustcompleteaTCRTnonviolenceworkshop,inaddition
tonormaldisciplinaryactions.
Studentshavetolearnhowtosolvelifesproblems
withoutviolence,andthisprogramwillteachourstudents
justthat,saidMr.Brown.
Nowstudentswillgetsuspendedandbeforcedtoattend
thisprogram,Opalsaid.Thatsjusttoomuch.

Prompt Activity
1. Readtheentireprompt.
2. Reviewitagain,lookingforthenewestinformation.
Underlinethatinformation.
3. Highlightorunderlinethe5WsandH.
4. Highlightorunderlinethemostimportantpeople
interviewed.Highlightorunderlinethemostessential
quotes.
5. Scratchoutstupid,inanequotes.
6. PayattentiontotheAdditionalInformation.
7. Writeyourlead.How,whyorwhatlead.

Prompt Activity
8.Writeanadditionalinfo.paragraphifneeded.
9.Useadirectquote(morethanonesentenceisokay).
10.Writeatransitionaboutthenextmostimportantthing.
11.Useadirectquotedirectlyrelatedtothetransitionabove.
Ifitsanindirectquotetransition,useadirectquotefrom
thatsameperson.
12.Writeanothertransitionaboutthenextmostimportant
thing.
13.Anotherdirectquote.
14.Keepgoing.

Lets practice!
FollowthestepsfromPrompt
Activity
Writeasmuchasyoucan.Edit.
Write.Edit.