The Basics of News Writing
Here's where you learn to write news stories using the inverted pyramid, the five Ws and the H and Associated Press style. You'll learn to construct a good lede and to write quickly on tight deadlines. You'll also learn about the differences between writing for newspapers, TV, radio and the web.
Want to Learn to Write News Stories? Just Follow the Format
Journalism, Newswriting Format, Learning the Newswriting Format
In Journalism, Simple Writing is the Goal
Simple Writing
Structuring News Stories
Here's what you need to know to put together a basic news story.
Writing Ledes
Write a lede that will grab your readers' attention
Five Steps To Writing a Great Lede
So you've done a ton of reporting and dug up a great story. But all your work will be wasted if you write a boring lede that won't grab your readers' attention. Follow these tips and you'll be writing knock-their-socks-off ledes that will leave your readers wanting more.
The Newswriting Format in a Nutshell
The Basics of Writing a News Story
Writing Ledes - What To Put In And What To Leave Out
Don't Clutter It Up With Too Many Details
Writing Ledes - Emphasize What's Newsworthy
Emphasize What Makes the Story Unique
Keep Your Writing Tight
Newswriting, Writing Tight, Keep Your Writing Tight
Keep it Short, Sweet And To The Point
Convey Lots of Information, Using As Few Words As Possible
Use Subject-Verb-Object in Your Writing
Subject-Verb-Object
Subject-Verb-Object Exercises
Newswriting, Subject-Verb-Object Exercises
In the Newsroom, Writing Fast is as Important as Writing Well
Newswriting - Writing Fast - How to Write News Stories Quickly
Adding Context To a Lede
Give The Lede Some Perspective
When Writing a Lede, Listen to Your Gut
Focus on What's Really Interesting About a Story
Attribution In News Stories
How To Attribute The Information In In News Stories
In Newswriting, the Goal is Simplicity
When writing a news story, always remember who your readers are. And if your readers are the general public - which includes everyone from the fifth-grader to the rocket scientist - then your writing should strive for simplicity, clarity and brevity. Say what you have to say in simple, clear terms, with as few words as possible.
Cut the Jargon Out of Your News Stories
Jargon - How to Cut Jargon From News Stories
Long, Complex Words vs. Shorter, Simpler Ones
Complex words vs. simple words
Exercises in Cutting Unnecessary Words
Newswriting, Copy editing - Exercises in Cutting Unnecessary Words
Six Tips To Improve Your Newswriting
So you've done a ton of reporting and dug up a great story. But all your work will be wasted if you write a boring article that no one will read. Follow these tips and you'll be writing news stories that will get your readers' attention and never let go!
Writing for the Web
Keep it Short and Don't Forget to Highlight
Eight Things You Learned in English Class That You Need to Forget
The Stuff That Just Won't Work When Writing the News
Newswriting Exercises
Looking for a way to hone your newswriting skills anytme, anywhere? Try these newswriting exercises. Each exercise provides a scenario with a set of facts, and it's up to you to produce a story. To get the maximum benefit, force yourself to do these on a tight deadline (each exercise has a suggested time limit.)
Tips For Basic Broadcast Newswriting
Keep It Short And Simple
Use Verbs & Adjectives Wisely
Strong Verbs Are Great - But Easy on the Adjectives
Five Tips for Producing Great News Features
Get Real People, and Stats as Well
Ledes That Come in a Flash of Inspiration
That "Aha" Moment When a Story's Lede Suddenly Falls Into Place
Write Great Headlines
Keep 'em Short, Accurate and Avoid Bad Breaks
Writing About Disasters
Keep It Simple and Let The Story Tell Itself
Six Tips for Writing About Live Events
Newswriting, Journalism - Tips for Writing Live Events
Writing Court Stories
Cut Out the Jargon, and Lead With the Drama
Writing Follow-up Stories
Writing a Fresh Lede Is Key
Writing Obituaries
A Celebration of a Person's Life