What do newswriters do? Provide information in a clear and
concise manner using simple language. Simple language is important
because you are trying to reach an audience with widely varied
capabilities and interests. To communicate effectively to a mass
audience, you must present information in a way that will allow almost
everyone to read and understand it.
(This is the exact
opposite of what you've learned in English composition all these years,
where teachers encourage you to use big and fancy words. For practical
writing, this is an awful habit, as is much we're going to un-learn you
from English comp this term. Use simple words and simple terms, please.)
Also,
present factual information succinctly and in an impartial and
objective manner. You must provide enough information so that the
audience understands what happened, and keep your opinion out of
stories.
(Again, a big diff between English comp and
journalism is that in English comp, we write to express ourselves. In
journalism, we write to share facts we've verified. Writing isn't about
our self-expression; it's about informing an audience first and
foremost.)
The pre-writing process. Ask yourself these questions: what is the story about? Why is it newsworthy? How is its central point unique?
Failure to identify a central point risks a story that is incoherent
and incomplete. Try to develop one central point thoroughly. A story
with several apparent central points may be worth more than one story.
How
do you find a central point? Report! What we write and how we write it
isn't based on personal expression and opinion; it's based on what we
discover in the reporting process, and what we determine is most
interesting, relevant and useful to our audience.
The story outline.
We start with the lede paragraph. That's the first paragraph of a
story, which may contain the central point or a telling anecdote that
sets up the central point. Often, the lede goes to end result and
ultimate outcome; e.g., how the story ended and what is the latest
information.
(Again, this is another big way journalism
differs from English comp. In English comp, the ending is the ending.
But in journalism, the ending is the lede: who won the football game,
what the city council ended up doing, how many people died in the
tornado outbreak, ect.)
Use simplifying words, sentences and paragraphs.
Avoid long, unfamiliar words (e.g., instead of "homicide," say "murder.
Instead of "vehicle," say "car" or "van" or "bus" or whatever. Instead
of "inebriated vehicle operator," say "drunk driver.")
Use short sentences and paragraphs.
The longer a sentence is, the more difficult it is to understand. You
can shorten sentences by using the "normal word order" of subject, then
verb, then direct object (e.g., instead of saying "The homework was
eaten by the dog," say "The dog ate the homework.")
Write for the ear.
Use sentences that do not sound awkward or inappropriate when spoken.
(If you're not sure if a sentence flows well, read it out loud. Does it
sound choppy or stilted or a hot mess? Then it probably reads the same
way. Rewrite it as necessary until it's easy to say and hear out loud.)
Eliminate unnecessary words.
Writers who use two words when one would suffice simply waste space.
(Again, in English comp you are encouraged to be wordy; in journalism,
we want to be efficient with our word use.) Eliminate multiple words
that convey the same idea (e.g., "past history." History is the past.
Eliminate one of those words.)
Remain objective.
Reporters are neutral observers, not advocates or participants.
Reporters provide facts and details, not opinion. (Again, journalism
isn't about you expressing yourself; it's about informing the audience
on what you discovered during the reporting process.)
Avoid stereotypical isms.
Like, racism. (Only mention race when clearly relevant to a story, like
a detailed suspect description.) Or, sexism. (Avoid occupational terms
that exclude one sex or the other, like "fireman." Use "firefighter"
instead.) Or ageism and word usage with the disabled, veterans and
religious groups, and the poor. ("Old fogey, Bible-beater, bum," ect.)
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