News writing is a craft. It follows a simple but eloquent formula rooted in journalistic tradition, with a universal set of basic guidelines.
This is your guide to the fundamentals of news writing at Helium and beyond. Use these tips and resources to start thinking and writing like a journalist or to refresh your news writing skills.
The six commandments of news writing:
- “Be concise, compelling and accurate.
- “Present your story in plain English. Avoid writing in abstract terms and don’t use jargon. Don’t write in clichés or use superlatives: The purpose of a news story is to inform your readers and make them understand the topic at hand.
- “Use the active voice as often as possible.
- “Remain objective. News writing is about presenting a fair and balanced story: Never use “I.”
- “Write to readers. Write articles that your audience can relate to and understand. Learn how to be simple, but not boring.
- “Express the negative in a positive form.
Writing a lead
Every news story starts with a lead, which should capture a reader’s attention and present the news hook. Don’t try to tell the entire story in your lead, but use it to captivate your readers and make them want to read more.
A lead should be clear, concise and interesting. Don’t bury the news in your article: Always decide what the major news is and state it up front in the lead. Save secondary details and background information for later. For example, don’t use attributions in your lead.
A good lead sets your story apart. A compelling lead can make your story shine.
Tone
Always set a good tone for your readers by paying attention to word choice. Short, familiar words are more inviting and are more likely to set a positive tone. Overly pedantic words can set a negative tone and frustrate readers.
Interviewing
Interviewing is a fundamental skill used in news writing. A good interview adds a human voice to your story and makes an immediate connection with your readers. A good interview can help you paint a visual picture.
Good interviewing skills also help keep you informed as a journalist. As you talk to people to fully understand the situation that you are writing about, you’ll find that multiple sources will help you tell a fair and balanced story.
Like any skill, interviewing takes time, practice and research. Read the tips at News Lab to learn how to conduct a strong interview. There is a variety of ways to use your interviews in your article. Direct quotes are an important element to any news story and can really make your piece come alive. Excellent note-taking (or recording) is essential here, since you must be sure you are quoting someone accurately. Explain beforehand that what the interviewee says may be used in your article. Be sure to use quotes that advance the story and accurately reflect the person’s thoughts and point of view. Paraphrase carefully if you need to sum up what the person is saying (but don’t use quotation marks unless it’s a direct quote).
Stop, ask, then publish
According to the Associated Press’ Guide to News Writing, there are three questions that every journalist should consider before publishing a news story:
- Have I said what I meant to say?
- Have I put it as concisely as possible?
- Have I put things as simply as possible?
