The News Story
A introductory course in news writing
This mini-writing course is intended for students in middle and senior
high school English and Journalism courses.
This lesson was created by Jonathan Klingeman
Welcome!
Journalism is a skill and practice that takes years to
master; however, everyone must start at the
beginning. For this mini-course, that is exactly where
we will begin!
This course will teach you the basic building bocks of
news writing that includes writing leads and story
structures.
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Main Menu
Lesson 1
Writing Leads
Lesson 3
Practice
Lesson 2
Story Structures
Lesson 4
Quiz
Lesson 1
Writing Leads
“Whether you're a newspaper journalist, a
lawyer, a doctor. You have to organize your
thoughts.”
--Frederick Wiseman
Your Story, Your Leads
First, you must identify the main point of your story before you
write it!
A good journalist always asks “So what?” or “What’s this
about?” or “What’s my point?” when considering gathered
information
The lead is what opens any piece of journalism. Other than the
headline, the lead is the only chance to “catch” your reader’s
attention!”
Writing Your Lead
Readers spend only 3 seconds deciding whether to read your
story based on your lead!
There are many types of leads; however, we will work with the
most popular: a direct news lead. This consists of 1 or 2
sentences in the opening paragraph that contains the most
important parts of the story
This consists of 1 or 2 sentences in the opening paragraph that
contains some of the most important parts of the story (who,
what, where, when, why, how)
Leads
The following 2 examples are direct news leads that accurately
tell the reader the most important information about the story!
Local police captured two juvenile thieves Wednesday after the
robbery of Rob’s Mini-Mart.
The Student Council has made plans to donate 100% of all its
proceeds from Friday night’s social event. The group plans to
split the money between two local charities.
Lead Wrap Up
Don’t be afraid to toy with leads until you create the best one!
If you are having trouble, create as many different lead
combinations in a short time. The pressure will help you to
organize the most important elements!
This concludes lesson 1 on writing leads. Please select the home
button to continue the course!
Lesson 2
Story Structures
“A newspaper should be the maximum of
information, and the minimum of comment.”
--Richard Cobden
Organizing Your Story
Now with a strong lead, the time has come to develop the rest of
your story that includes the most interesting facts!
Choosing the correct structure to benefit your readers is critical to
the success of your story!
There are 3 typical structures you will be using as a journalist:
Inverted Pyramid
Storytelling Pattern
Chronological Order Pattern
Also, you might use these patterns together in the same story!
Inverted Pyramid
Most interesting news
stories use this style for
many reasons; it benefits:
1. Hurried readers
2. Beginning journalists
3. Headline writers
4. Page layout editors
LEAD
Most Important Details
Less important
details
Least important
details
This style is beneficial to many different people because less time will
be spent on the parts of the story that aren’t as important!
Storytelling Pattern
This narrative form captures a
reader’s interest without being as
obvious as the inverted pyramid.
Lead
Fact
Clincher
Fact
After a beginning, middle, and
end, the writer includes a clincher
or a kicker which gives the reader
something to remember without
repeating previous information; a
circle kicker returns back to the
opening paragraph!
Chronological Pattern
Lead
Though similar to the
narrative style, this pattern
works very well when a writer
is trying to convey critical
points of a story!
Foreshadowing
Chronological Storytelling
Climax at End
Story Structure Wrap Up
Obviously the type of story structure you choose is based a
great deal on the content.
Keep your readers in mind when organizing your
information, drafting your story, and finally revising!
This concludes lesson 2 on story structures. Please select
the home button to continue the course!
Practice Using Leads
Read the following lead and think about which news writing tools are
used!
*STATE COLLEGE--- The State College Area school
board’s $102 million plan to reconfigure State High
could be expected to cost more or less by early next
month.
Why?
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Pauling, Dena. "Project Costs Revised." Centre Daily Times 26
Sept. 2006, sec. A: 1+.
How?
Practice Using Leads
Now, use the following tools to create your own lead.
Who: The Senior Class
Executive Committee
What: Fundraiser
Where: South Bend Senior
High School
Who?
When: October 2006Why?
December 2006
What?
Why: To raise money
Where?
for a
local children’s charity
How?
How: By collecting donations
When?
from all grade levels during
homeroom
Practice Using Leads
What did you come up with?? Share your results with a friend or
Teacher! Below are possible suggested leads:
1. Students at South Bend recently began taking
monetary collections during the second marking period
for children in need at the local shelter.
Why?
Or
Who?
2. Beginning in October,What?
The SeniorHow?
Executive Committee
at South Bend will be raising funds for the local
children Where?
by collecting donations in homerooms.
When?
This concludes the practice on how to write leads. Please select
the home button to continue the course!
Quiz
When you are comfortable, click start quiz to begin the
examination! You will be tested on the first 2 lessons! Good luck!
Start Quiz
Question 1
A good journalist always asks ALL of the following questions except:
A
“So What?”
C
“So what do they
expect me to do?”
B
“What’s this about?”
D
“What’s my point?”
Question 2
The average reader spends how long reading a lead when
deciding whether to continue reading?
A
B
1 minute
30 seconds
C
D
0 seconds
3 seconds
Question 3
What is at the top of the “inverted pyramid” structure?
A
B
Least important details
Leads
C
D
Circle Kickers
Most important details
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
A good journalist should always ask
“so what” in order to find out why a
reader/viewer will want to pay
attention!
Try Again
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
A good journalist should always ask
“what’s this about” in order to find
out who this story will be affecting
and why people should pay
attention to it!
Try Again
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
A good journalist should always ask
“what’s my point” so that
readers/viewers won’t be confused
about your main idea!
Try Again
Very Good!
That is correct!
A good journalist wouldn’t ever ask
“what do they want me to do?” As
journalists, we should always be
looking how to help society!
Question 2
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
Most readers use a lead when
deciding whether to continue.
Try Again
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
That’s a little too long; in fact, most
people can read most of an article in
that time!
Try Again
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
Most readers will have read an
entire article in 1 minute.
Try Again
Very Good!
That is correct!
A reader only spends about 3
seconds when deciding to continue
reading or move to a new story!
Make sure your lead is fun, yet
meaningful!
Question 3
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
The most important details are close
to the lead, but support the lead
rather than build up the
information.
Try Again
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
The least important details should
be the fewest and near the bottom!
Try Again
Try Again!
That was a good try, but no.
Circle kickers are part of their own
story structures that end back at
the lead living the reader with a
memorable thought!
Try Again
Very Good!
That is correct!
The lead is the first and largest part
of the inverted pyramid structure
followed by the most important
details, the less important details,
least important details, and etc.
Congratulations!
You’ve done a fantastic job at learning how to use leads and
choosing a story structure. Best of luck in the future and keep
building your journalism knowledge.
If you would like to get some more information about high
school journalism, click here to be sent to a great resource!
Click the “home” button to return to the “welcome screen.”