Every story should have a clear organizing
principle that pulls the reader through the story:
 Chronological order
 Logical progression
 A narrative voice
 Instead of telling the reader something was difficult,
dangerous, disgusting or deranged, give them an
anecdote, detail or quote that shows it to them.
 “The room was filthy.”
 “Tattered curtains, yellow with cigarette smoke,
dangling from bent metal rods. Cardboard and old
comforters stuffed into broken, grimy windows.”
 Put the most compelling info/quotes near the top of
the story.
 But sometimes you might want to save something for
the kicker (the end of the report – think “hourglass”).
 A good kicker can be used to give the reader
something more to think about.
“Journalism is in fact history on
the run.”
--U.S. Federal Appeals Court Judge Thomas Beall Griffith
“History on the run” implies that journalism can
sometimes be sloppy and inaccurate. No doubt, it
sometimes is. But how can we help guard against it?
 By making our stories as accurate as we can.
 By making our stories as clear as possible.
Let’s deal with accuracy first. On a fastbreaking story, it can be hard to be sure of our
facts, but some conventions are available:
 Double-check what facts you collect – the who, what,
when, where and why. And sometimes, the how.
 Attribute information, particularly information that
might be in dispute or that is controversial, to people
with access to that information – or whose official
positions give them the authority to speak.
On a more practical level:
 When you interview someone, double-check the
spelling of their name; get their phone number.
 After you’re done with your questions, ask if there is
anything they’d like to add.
 On your way to cover a story, prepare questions in
advance.
 Readers and viewers sense a story is accurate when it
seems well-reported – when it seems the reporter has
done a good job collecting the information.
 So, while on a story, keep an ear out for the dramatic
quotation – the judge, for instance, who says a
defendant has no remorse.
 Similarly, while on a story, look for the telling details,
the ones that will make your story powerful – still
accurate, but clearly well-researched.
 The telling details are ones that in a few words say
something significant – the defendant, for instance,
who has had 21 convictions since he was 13 years old.
Where can you get accurate information while
researching a topic? Three broad categories:
 Human
 Physical
 Online
Now, let’s turn to clarity:
“If language is not correct, then what is
said is not what is meant; if what is said
is not what is meant, then what ought
to be done remains undone.”
-- Confucius
To reach a large and diverse audience,
writers must present information in a clear
and simple, yet interesting, way.
Every word matters
Good media writing is more than the use of clear
language. It is:
 Using the correct words.
 Composing sentences carefully.
 Finding a tone that matches the material – a
dignified tone, for instance, for the story of a
funeral; a tone of drama for a daring rescue; a tone
of joy for someone who achieves something great.
Eight Tips for Writing:
1) Vary the length of your sentences.
Short, medium, long, short, medium -- variety yields
rhythm, and keeps people moving through the
story.
Remember: A short sentence, properly placed, packs
power. It is dramatic.
2) Use simple, not complex, sentences.
 Simple: Tsang, now in his second term, cannot seek re-
election.
 Complex: Tsang, now in his second term, cannot seek
a third term, and so some political observers say that is
the reason he has not shown much regard for much
public opinion in several recent controversies,
including his government’s refusal to reveal the
salaries it was paying new political appointees, forcing
them instead to reveal them.
3) Use words most people know.
Do not send people to the dictionary. Don’t give
them reasons to put your story down.
4) Don’t use unnecessary words, as this
paragraph does.
A metal-working factory in Yuen Long where a
powerful blast yesterday afternoon killed three
workers and injured four other laborers has been
found to have had failed several types of safety
inspections last year, according to the Regional
Factory Regulatory Agency. (35 words)
This version is only 23 words:
A factory in Yuen long where a powerful blast
killed three workers and injured four others
yesterday failed several safety inspections last year,
officials said.
5) When possible, use active voice; use
strong verbs.
Active: A leaking gas cylinder triggered the
explosion.
Passive: The explosion was caused by a leaking gas
cylinder.
6) Write the way most people talk –
direct and plain, NOT like this:
The manager of a money-lending firm, who pleaded
guilty to dishonestly appropriating $2.4 million
from his employer, was described by two
Democratic Party legislators as “a honest man with
many good qualities.”
How about this?
A loan-company manager who pleaded guilty to
stealing $2.4 million from his boss was described
by two Democratic Party legislators as a honest
man.
 Avoid using jargon—the language that only specialists
in a given field might use..
 Q: What does “The perpetrator fled the scene on foot
after suffering contusions and lacerations” mean?
 A: “The suspect ran after away he had been cut and
bruised.” It’s that simple
7) Use words that help readers see,
rather than go to sleep, as these do:
The first and only International Anti-Corruption
Newsletter is being published on the Internet by
the Independent Commission Against Corruption
(ICAC) to help overseas agencies fighting crime
and corruption.
How about this?
Hong Kong’s corruption watchdog is publishing
the first Internet newsletter for helping police
around the world catch criminals.
Best tip for last:
8) After you’re done, read it to yourself. Then
rewrite it. And then rewrite it again. And then
again.
 Reading: Noonan` and Mustain, English-Language
News Writing, Fudan Press. Pages 35-37; and 91-100