Writing news articles is not the same as writing articles or other informative writings, because news articles present information in a special way. It is important to be able to convey all the important information without going over the word limit, as well as providing the best information for your target audience. Knowing how to write news articles can help you develop a journalism career, improve your writing skills, and convey information concisely and clearly.
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Part 1 of 3: Planning News Articles
Step 1. Do some research on the topic you want to write about
To start writing news articles, do thorough research on the topic you want to write about. In order to produce trusted articles that are well written and structured, you need to be very well versed in the topics covered.
- If you've ever written a research paper, you know how to research a topic. The first stage of writing a news article or editorial is quite similar to that.
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Start by asking yourself 5W (sometimes 6W).
- “Who” (Who)--Who is involved?
- “What?” (What)--What happened?
- “Where”--Where did the incident take place?
- “Why” (Why)--Why did that happen?
- “When” (When)--When did the incident occur?
- “How”(How)--How did that happen?
Step 2. Gather all the facts
Once you can answer all the 5W questions clearly, write down all the important facts and information that need to be included in the article. This list of facts can help prevent missing any relevant information on the topic or story, as well as help produce clear and concise articles.
- Write down all the facts as specifically as possible. Unnecessary information can be discarded later. It is easier to reduce than to extend the article.
- Now that all the facts have been gathered, decide what type of article to write. Ask yourself whether to write opinion articles, articles with information conveyed in a straightforward and objective manner, or between the two.
Step 3. Create an outline of the article
The outline, and hence the article itself, should be structured like an inverted triangle. The inverted triangle pattern allows storytelling with the most important information located at the top/beginning of the article.
- If you've ever heard of the term “bury the main idea”, the term refers to the structure of the article. Simply put, don't make the reader have to read several paragraphs before they can reach the main idea of the article.
- In whichever forum the article will be published, print media or website, many readers do not read the article to the end. When writing news articles, focus on getting the information your readers want as quickly as possible.
- Write on the folds. The crease in question is the crease that forms in the newspaper when it is folded in half. If you look at the newspaper, all the main stories are above the fold. The same is true for online writing. The virtual fold is located at the bottom of the screen before having to scroll down. Put the best information at the very top to captivate and encourage readers to keep reading to the end.
Step 4. Know your target audience
In order to produce good news articles, you need to know exactly who will be reading them. The target audience determines the style and tone of the article, and helps you know what information to include.
- Ask yourself the 5W question again, but this time it relates to your target audience.
- These questions, such as what is the average age of the reader who will read the article, where the reader is located: local or national, why the reader is interested in reading the article, and what the reader wants to know from reading the article, will help you determine how the article works. must be written.
- Once you know who will be reading the article, you can create an article outline that will convey the most important information to the right readers as quickly as possible.
Step 5. Find the point of view of the article
Why is this article unique to you? What is your view on the topic of the article? These two questions can help you create a unique news article that only you can write.
- Even if it's a popular story or topic that many people have written about, seek a point of view that can lead to articles produced solely by you.
- Do you have personal experience related to the topic? Maybe you know someone who is an expert on the topic that you can interview.
Step 6. Interview people
When writing news articles, interviews and getting information from direct or first-hand sources is invaluable. Calling people and asking for an opportunity to interview them may sound intimidating, but it can greatly affect the credibility and authority of the article to be written.
- People usually like to share personal experiences, especially if they are going to be featured in a public space, such as in a news article. Contact sources by phone, email, or even social media, and ask for an opportunity to interview them.
- When interviewing people, you must adhere to a few rules: introduce yourself as a journalist and have an open and objective mind. While you may have to ask questions and listen to anecdotes, you're not there to judge.
- Take notes and write down all important information obtained from the interview, and honestly state what you are doing and why you asked for an interview.
Part 2 of 3: Writing News Articles
Step 1. Start by creating the article header
Begin the article with the article head in the form of a strong sentence. News articles begin with the head of the article in the form of a sentence intended to attract the attention and interest of the reader. The sentence at the head of the article is one of the most important parts of the article. So, start the news article with a good headline. Remember the inverted triangle pattern.
- The sentence at the head of the article should only be one sentence and state the topic of the article concisely but completely.
- Remember when you wrote an essay for a school assignment? The head of the article is the same as the thesis statement.
- Inform the reader of the topic the news article covers, why the topic is important, and what the article is about.
Step 2. Include all important details
The next important step in writing a news article is to include all the relevant facts and details regarding the statement sentence at the head of the article. Include all the basic information about what happened, where and when it happened, who was involved, and why it was newsworthy.
- These details are important because they are the focal point of the article providing the complete information that the reader wants.
- If you're writing an opinion piece, this is also where you can state your opinion.
Step 3. After including the main facts, include additional information
After writing down all the main facts in the news article, include any additional information that can help readers understand the story better, such as contact information, additional facts about the topic or people involved, or excerpts from interviews.
- Additional information completes the article and helps transition to new ideas throughout the narrative of the article.
- If you include opinions, this section is where you identify opposing opinions and the people who share those opinions.
- Good news articles present facts and information succinctly and clearly. Good news articles are able to move the emotions of readers.
- To attract readers' interest, provide enough information so that anyone who reads the news article can form an opinion based on the available information, even if the opinion contradicts the article's point of view.
- This also applies to news articles, which should not contain the author's opinion at all and only provide objective information. Readers should still be able to know enough about the topic of the article so that they can form an opinion.
Step 4. End the article
Congratulate readers for reading the article to the end by providing something they can take away, such as possible solutions to the problem or challenge outlined in the article.
- Make sure the news article is complete and ends with a good concluding sentence. The conclusion sentence is often a restatement of the sentence at the head of the article (thesis statement) or a statement indicating possible future developments related to the topic discussed in the article.
- Read other news articles for ideas on the best way to end articles. Or, watch a newscast or TV show. Pay attention to the way the announcer ends the story and closes the show, then try to imitate that.
Part 3 of 3: Editing News Articles
Step 1. Check all the facts before the article is published
Whether writing a professional news article or a school assignment, the article isn't finished until all the facts have been checked. Including untrue facts will immediately destroy the credibility of the article and hinder your writing career.
Be sure to double-check all the facts in the news article before submitting the article, including the name, date, and address or contact information. Writing accuracy is one of the best ways to establish yourself as a competent news article writer
Step 2. Make sure the article has been written according to the framework that has been made and has a consistent writing style
There are several styles of writing news articles and journalism, from objective reporting to Gonzo (a style of journalism that journalists use to describe events subjectively, usually with a first-person narrative).
- If the news article is meant to convey direct facts, not the author's opinion, be sure to write the article objectively and not tend to be biased. Do not use overly positive or negative language or statements that could be judged as support or criticism.
- If the article is intended for more interpretive journalism, double-check the article to make sure you have included a deep enough explanation of the main story, as well as providing multiple points of view throughout the article.
Step 3. Use the AP (Associated Press) style guide to format articles and cite sources
Most journalists, as well as news articles, use the AP style guide to cite sources and citations. The AP style manual is a journalist's main book that should be used as a guide for setting up the correct article format.
- When quoting someone, quote exactly what is said between the quotation marks and immediately write down the source, along with the title, who said the word. Formal positions must begin with a capital letter and be written before the name of the resource person. Example: “Mayor John Smith”.
- The numbers one through nine must be written in letters, but use numbers to write the numbers 10 and up.
- When writing news articles, make sure to use a single space after the period, not double spaces.
Step 4. Have the editor read your article
Even if you have thoroughly reviewed the article several times and judged it to be correct, still have someone else check the article. In addition to finding spelling and grammatical errors, the editor will also be able to help reduce certain sections of the article and simplify awkward sentences.
- Never submit a news article for publication without first being rechecked by someone else. An extra pair of eyes can help double-check facts and information to make sure the article is accurate.
- If you're writing a news article for your school or personal website, ask a friend to read your article and provide feedback. Sometimes, friends may provide feedback that you want to dispute or disagree with. However, it's a good idea to keep the feedback in mind. Remember, with so many news articles being published every minute, you need to make sure the widest possible audience can easily digest the information you provide in the article.
Tips
- Start by doing some research and asking 5W questions. Asking 5W questions helps to outline and narrate the article.
- Interview people, and remember to be polite and honest about what you're about to write.
- Include the most important information at the beginning of the article.
- Double check to make sure all information is accurate and properly quoted.
- Unless otherwise instructed, always use the AP style to write news articles.
- If you like writing articles, look for writing jobs that are widely spread on the internet, so that your hobby can make money at the same time. One of the websites that recruit article writers is Contentesia.
