When writing news you need to put the most important information at the top so that the audience is informed even if they only catch the headline and summary.
Then you continue to build the story to a formula which ensures that the words you write have maximum impact. This checklist is based on the article ‘Essential elements of a news story‘ by John Allen.
News writing checklist
- [ ] Identify the news hook: Make sure you understand exactly why you are telling this story today and why it matters to your audience.
- [ ] Use the five Ws and one H: Ensure your story answers who, what, where, when, why, and how. These are the basic facts every reader needs.
- [ ] Put the most important information first: Use the inverted pyramid style by placing the most critical facts in the first paragraph, known as the lead.
- [ ] Keep your sentences short and simple: Aim for one idea per sentence to make your writing easy to read and understand.
- [ ] Verify every fact: Check names, dates, and figures twice to ensure your story is accurate and maintains your credibility.
- [ ] Include multiple perspectives: Talk to different people involved in the story to ensure your report is fair and impartial.
- [ ] Use direct quotes to add life: Include the exact words of the people you interview to provide a human element and authority to your report.
- [ ] Provide necessary context: Explain the background of the story so that someone who knows nothing about the topic can understand it fully. See ‘fact-checking and adding context‘.
- [ ] Check for impartiality: Remove your own opinions and stick to the facts so that the reader can make up their own mind. See our article on ‘editorialising in news‘.
- [ ] Edit your work: Read through your story one last time to remove any unnecessary words and correct any spelling mistakes. See our article on ‘spotting errors in your own writing.’
Mastering these basics is essential if you are to produce news reports that the audience can trust.
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