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Story Organization

Chapter 8. Story Organization. The writing process. When writing a news story, you need a plan Conceive Collect Construct Correct. Conceive the idea What struck you as most interesting or important What is most newsworthy What is the main point of the story

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Story Organization

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  1. Chapter 8 Story Organization

  2. The writing process • When writing a news story, you need a plan • Conceive • Collect • Construct • Correct

  3. Conceive the idea • What struck you as most interesting or important • What is most newsworthy • What is the main point of the story • What do readers/viewers need or want to know

  4. Collect the information • Get the basics…the 5 W’s • Take good notes • Jot down details from observations • Get quotes, facts, comments from sources • Tape interviews for sound bites • Don’t rely solely on recording

  5. Note down additional info you will need • Background, more details, etc • Highlight important points in notes • Gather anecdotes • Brief stories from sources • Consider the your focus as you report

  6. Think ahead • What do you need to do next • Collect documents • Verify facts, names & spelling • Some of the worst errors to make

  7. Construct the story • Find the focus • Write a focus sentence on top of your story before you begin • Plan an order • Topics • Main points/highlights you want to cover • Highlights • If creating a highlights box…what would they be? • Time sequence • Are there distinct time elements or chronological events?

  8. Block Sources • Cover all comments from one source • Before moving to the next source • Q & A • If one paragraph raises questions • Answer them in the next • Free-writing • If you can’t find an order, write what you remember w/out notes • Then look for logical arrangement • Ending • Create a lasting impression • Strong quote, future action

  9. Correct the story • Read your story aloud • One of the best self editing techniques for print publication • Basics • Are the 5 W’s there • Context • Background or details to help readers understand story • Check Accuracy • Double check names, titles and facts

  10. Avoid opinion based adjectives • Let details and sources describe actions and feelings • Purge and parroting • If quotes/sound bites repeat your transitions or story content • Rewrite or cut them • Cut useless or excess words • Edit the pace • Check grammar • (subject verb agreement) • Cut jargon • Read aloud again

  11. Tips for tightening stories • Squeeze a fact on every line • (one idea per sentence) • Focus tightly • Think about the REAL story and share what’s important • Use impact leads • Avoid rehashing known info, apply Spin/Angle on lead • Make the story move • Make your point early & use info that supports it • Keep it tight

  12. Use specific details over adjectives • “ancient windmill” vs “100-year-old windmill • Don’t over attribute • No need for he/she said after every sentence • But make sure source of info is clear • Use strong, lively verbs • Hundred of people in the streets vs • “lined, jammed, crowded, etc • Avoid weak transitions • With well organized articles, transitions will be minimal • Use quotes that advance story

  13. Story Structure • Leads • Tips to finding a good lead • What will hook reader’s attention • What does reader need to know first/most • In order to understand the story? • What is the story about • Remember the 5 W’s • Write a few leads then choose the best one later

  14. Making middles move • Vary the pace • Follow long sentences with short ones • This helps readers to follow the story • Parallelism • Wording sentences in the same grammatical order • Even repeating some words

  15. BBI- Boring but important info • Break it up throughout the story, not in one long block • Simple sentence for complex info • Use simple sentences for difficult info • Lists • Help the flow through middle of story • Itemize group of statistics or cumbersome info • Highlight key points in a story

  16. Use Active Voice when possible • She will always remember her first story • VS. Her first story will always be remembered by her • Write short, simple sentences • Keep the subject and verb close together • Write the way you speak • To improve reading flow through story

  17. Endings • Quote kickers • Quote that sums up the main idea of story • Circle kicker • Tying together your lead and ending • Future-Action • Giving the next step in the development of an issue • Factual • Short simple sentence that states a fact • Could possibly work as a lead

  18. Endings • Cliffhangers • Also a suspense ending • Used if story will continue on another day • Out of gas endings • Used when there is nothing more to say • Appropriate for hard news stories

  19. Due next Monday (9/17) • A news article written by you • 400-600 words (Include word count on paper) • Headline • Lead • Body/middle • Ending • 2 or more primary sources • Meaning people you talked to/interviewed • Story should relate to school, community or students

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