Of all the new skills, this should be the easiest to learn. It simply requires a new way of thinking and working.
Writing news for the Web is very similar to wire service reporting, like what's been done at The Associated Press for over 150 years. Think less in terms of filing one complete story, and more in terms of fling "takes." Each "take" has the latest information, in the briefest form and updating the previous "take."
The news must be timely and relevant. Time is of the essence, as competition is in real time.
Write lively and tight. Be simple and direct. A more analytical, stylistic writing style can be saved for later. Write actively, like you would for a TV news script. And only have one idea per sentence -- don't overload it.
We still have to ensure fundamentals. Facts need the same level of checking as in print. We still need the "why" of a story prominently included.
Use hyperlinks to connect to supporting sources and background information that may be relevant and helpful to the audience in trying to understand the story.
Don't forget visual aids like photos or locator maps (which you can easily create on Google) or video!
Writing news for the Web is very similar to wire service reporting, like what's been done at The Associated Press for over 150 years. Think less in terms of filing one complete story, and more in terms of fling "takes." Each "take" has the latest information, in the briefest form and updating the previous "take."
The news must be timely and relevant. Time is of the essence, as competition is in real time.
Write lively and tight. Be simple and direct. A more analytical, stylistic writing style can be saved for later. Write actively, like you would for a TV news script. And only have one idea per sentence -- don't overload it.
We still have to ensure fundamentals. Facts need the same level of checking as in print. We still need the "why" of a story prominently included.
Use hyperlinks to connect to supporting sources and background information that may be relevant and helpful to the audience in trying to understand the story.
Don't forget visual aids like photos or locator maps (which you can easily create on Google) or video!
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