The Characteristics of Good Writing

newspaper Today, you are a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.  You are the employee in charge of getting to the scene first, interviewing the people first, and getting your story in to your editor first.  Yes, today, we are counting on you to score a 'scoop' on the streets of Chicago. 

First, we need to do a quick study of the format and methods used in newspaper reporting. 

Have you ever heard the terms direct lead and inverted pyramid?  These two terms are essential for all newspaper reporters and will be very important as you report on your news scoop in Chicago today.

First, let's consider the term 'direct lead'.  The direct lead is the first paragraph in a news story.  It is usually only one or two sentences long.  It tells the reader what the story is about and answers the questions of Who? What? Where? and When?  Many times the direct lead is only about 30 words long.  The rest of the news story will give the surrounding details, but the direct lead is very direct, and to the point.
 
Take a look at these good examples of direct leads copied directly from the pages of the Chicago Tribune:

Example 1: City officials can look back on the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011 and congratulate themselves: A vast majority of residents, 73 percent, think the city did a good job responding to the storm.

Can you answer the important questions about this news story after reading this direct lead?  Who? What? Where? When?

Example 2:  Senior Homeland Security Department officials were warned Wednesday that the threat to the United States is the highest it has been since September 11, 2001.

Example 3:  The woman who was killed when her car slammed into the back of a stalled school bus on the Dan Ryan Expressway Wednesday afternoon did not have a driver's license because of her poor driving record, according to state officials.

Example 4:  An onstage fire erupted at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Ind., last night, but while there was some panic the 1,800-member audience of the acrobatic "Shanghai Circus Live" got out safely within minutes and apparently without injury, officials and attendees said.

 

 

""   Next Page