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All types of written works have templates and guidelines. In classes, we’re given Science Paper and PASS formats we have to follow, and they teach us how to write different types of essays. In news articles, it’s pretty much the same. In this chapter, you’ll find the basic newspaper article format as well as newspaper grammar styles.
What is a style guide?
What is a style guide?
A style guide is a guide that dictates the standard for writing, formatting, and designing different documents. This includes using a particular sort of grammar, specific fonts and sizes, and the use of margins and spacing.
In class, this includes using the font Times New Roman in size 12, with double-spacing, for academic papers.
Another example is the magazine The New Yorker, which has a distinctive writing style: numbers are written in full words, the double-consonant spelling of words is preferred (traveller, fuelled, focussed, etc.,.), and they also utilize diaeresis within words with double vowels (coöperation, reënactment, etc.,.).
All types of documents or written work has a style guide, especially news articles.
How is a standard article built?
How is a standard article built?
Headline - The headline is a short, attention-grabbing statement that reels the reader in and gives them the quickest gist of what the article is about.
Byline - The byline credits the author/s of the article.
Lead paragraph/The Lede - As said in the chapter dedicated to ledes, this is a short opening paragraph/s that either answers who, what, when, where, why and how or ushers in the tone or background of the story.
Explanation - In the body of the article, the writer must inform the reader on facts and details, and must answer any or all questions the reader might pose, be it straight citation or commentary. According to the inverted pyramid format for hard news, the most important facts that align directly with the headline or event comes first. Read the chapter on article structures to learn more about the inverted pyramid and other styles.
Additional Information (Hard/Feature News) - This information is the least important, like trivia or similar news.
NOTE: In online articles, feature or hard news articles should be around 300 words, with 50-60 words per paragraph. For opinion or feature pieces, the word count is increased to 500 words.
Writing Do's and Don'ts
Writing Do's and Don'ts
There are a lot of particulars to be careful of when it comes to news articles, especially when it comes to direct reporting. In this type of writing, writers have to be direct, clear, and straightforward with no need of fanciful five-dollar phrases.
DO use the active voice
DO use the active voice
There is a clear difference between “My dog ate my homework” and “My homework was eaten by my dog.” Writing in the active voice makes the sentence shorter and clearer, and communicates ideas more effectively than in the passive voice. There’s also less room to make mistakes, seeing as the format is a simple Subject + Verb + Object. It also provides the article a quick-paced read.
This rule is most important in reporting
DON’T overuse conjunctions
DON’T overuse conjunctions
Avoid using writing conjunctive sentences after conjunctive sentences. Break that paragraph into two or three smaller, shorter sentences that’s easily digestible and cleaner to read. A general writing tip for all writers of different walks of genres is to avoid beginning sentences with “but” or “and.”
DO be descriptive
DO be descriptive
Just because you have to avoid your literary sensibilities, you don’t have to throw out your penchant for descriptions out the window! You’re writing to convey ideas, so go ahead use your beloved descriptive nouns and verbs.
DON’T use florid purple prose
DON’T use florid purple prose
When it comes to news reports, forget your hifalutin prosery and keep words simple and short. You’re not here to fluff words up or impress your readers, you’re here to inform. Complicated words will only limit the audiences you’re reaching.
DO keep interest up
DO keep interest up
Every paragraph in an article must continue adding interesting information or sharing new ideas related to the topic.
Summary
Summary
In this short chapter, you learned a handful of grammar rules for news writing, as well as the basic article structure. Take note of these rules to make well-written articles!
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