How to Write a News Article
A news article is a report about a current event. It is often written in a short, formal style and contains a number of important facts about the topic. It may also contain a small amount of opinion, which is based on the facts presented. It is important to remember that an opinion should be clearly marked as such and attributed to the source.
A good news story will meet the criteria of being new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people. A coup in the next country over, for example, will be very big news. Similarly, famous people’s activities – what they do and how they look – are always newsworthy. People are also interested in health and well being – stories about hospitals and clinics, traditional remedies, diseases, diet and exercise will be of interest. Sex is another subject of fascination, especially when it involves behaviour that goes against society’s generally accepted norms.
The most important piece of information should be placed at the start of the story, with the key points of a story listed in order of their importance. This is known as the inverted pyramid method and is a good technique to use when writing a news article. It ensures that those readers who don’t read the whole article will receive a good amount of information, and it also means that readers will want to continue reading.
It is important to consider who you are writing the article for when deciding what information to include. A general newspaper, for example, will have a much wider readership than a newspaper or news broadcast for a specific community or industry. The level of detail you include should reflect this and ensure that the information in your article is accurate, relevant and up to date.
When writing a news article, make sure that the first paragraph of your article covers all of the most important facts. This will encourage readers to continue to read the story and it will give the reader a complete understanding of the story. This is the idea behind placing the main points “above the fold” in newspapers, and it is a useful technique to use when writing news articles online.
The last sentence of a news article should be a restatement of the leading statement or an indication of future developments relating to the topic. This will leave the reader feeling satisfied that they have understood the story, and it is a good idea to watch news anchors on TV to get an idea of how they wrap up a news item. It is also a good idea to keep paragraphs brief for clarity and appearance. When referring to people, it is advisable to use their full name or both initials and not just one. This will prevent any confusion and also avoid jarring readers by using different names throughout the article. This is also true for organisations and other entities; use their official name wherever possible.
