Learning the Craft of Journalism
By: Tina Lewis
Embrace the power of storytelling by learning the craft of journalism. The same techniques that shape Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalism can be applied to any form of writing, from a captivating novel, academic writing, to an engaging blog. Adopting a journalistic approach allows a writer to create a compelling narrative that engages the reader from the outset.
Journalistic writing, the preferred style of news organizations, carefully constructs a story. A news story is a structured hierarchy of information, with the key points at the top. News articles adhere to a specific set of guiding principles, such as the Associated Press style (AP style), which governs grammar and vocabulary. While newspapers and television were once the primary platforms for reporting current events and human interest stories, journalists now write for a variety of online media outlets and podcasts.
Journalists follow a structured approach to create a story. This approach can be applied to any style of writing, from high school assignments to novels. It’s a method of presenting information in a way that is easily understood by readers. Here are eight journalistic writing tips for your next story:
Collect the Information: Gather the necessary information to build your story. In non-fiction, similar to journalism, this might involve visiting the location of the story, interviewing witnesses and people involved in the event, and using online search engines for further research.
Identify your Perspective: Every news story has a perspective - the theme and focus that make it newsworthy. A human interest story will have a different perspective than a hard-hitting political piece. News stories reveal their perspective in the first paragraph. Identify the perspective of your story and present it in the first paragraph, page, or chapter.
Craft a Strong Lede: Every story needs a compelling opening. In news writing, this is called a lede. This opening paragraph delivers the essential information of the story by answering the five W’s: who, what, where, when, why. These are the building blocks of any good story, whether it’s a fictional narrative, technical writing, or a content marketing article. Begin with a strong summary of events that engages the reader from the start.
Organize your Information: Good journalism presents the information of a story in order of importance, in what is known as the inverted pyramid structure. The most important information, the lede, is at the top. The next section is the body of the story that contains other supporting details. The bottom section, the point of the pyramid, contains any additional information that might be interesting to an audience. Even in creative writing, it’s important to start with the who, what, why, where, and when of your story to let the reader know what the story is about.
Incorporate Quotes: Good journalism often includes interviews with people involved in a story. This provides different perspectives and maintains the reporter’s role as an observer, similar to the third-person point of view in a short story or novel. If you’re writing a non-fiction book, quotes are essential to create a well-rounded piece. In fiction, your characters will provide quotes through dialogue.
Keep it Clear and Concise: Journalists use short sentences to deliver a story. News writing often uses the active voice as opposed to the passive voice—i.e. “She drove the car” rather than “The car was driven by her.” The active voice is more direct, uses fewer words, and has a quicker tempo. To hone this skill, think like a copywriter. In copywriting, the main objective is to write simply with a clear, concise message.
Confirm Your Sources: The authenticity of a story hinges on the accuracy of its sources. Journalists, in their quest to narrate true stories, gather information from a multitude of sources. It is incumbent upon them to verify the credibility of these sources. In the realm of freelance writing, when you submit your story, it is good practice to always provide references to your information sources and contact details for each individual you interviewed.
Refine Your Work: The newsroom is a dynamic environment where stories continuously transition from writers to editors before they see the light of day. It is essential for all writers to conduct a spell check and edit their work for clarity and substance. Drawing inspiration from news writing, consider having a professional editor polish your story before it goes public.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-like-a-journalist