How to Write a Newspaper Article
Write a headline., Create a lead., Follow up with details., End with a summary.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Write a headline.
The headline of your story should be a sentence fragment that succinctly sums up its main point.
Use catchy wording to attract attention, but make sure the headline is representative of the actual content of the story.
For example: "Community Mourns Loss of Popular Football Coach" "Powerful Earthquake Strikes Bay Area" "President to Appear in Town this Weekend"
The first sentence of a news article is called the lead (also spelled "lead") and contains the story's most essential details.
Even if people don't read past the lead, they should come away from the story knowing the main gist.
The lead is written in third person and answers the classic news story questions: who, what, when, where, why and how? Take these examples: "An outbreak of flu in San Francisco has led to 3 elementary school closings this week, according to school officials." "A missing Jefferson County girl was found Monday taking shelter in an abandoned cabin, the National Park Service said."
Fill out the story with details that provide context, the opinions of people you interviewed, and any other necessary facts that readers should know to completely understand what happened.
Each follow-up paragraph has its own main point, and no paragraph is longer than about 50 words.
Write follow-up paragraphs in order of importance, rather than in chronological order.
Readers should be able to skim through the first part of the article and get the necessary information first.
If they're interested, they may read to the end for in-depth coverage of the subject.
Weave in statements you collected from your interviews, relevant statistics, and historical information to back up each point you make. , The last paragraph brings the article full circle, summarizing the main points and concluding with information readers might need to continue following the story. -
Step 2: Create a lead.
-
Step 3: Follow up with details.
-
Step 4: End with a summary.
Detailed Guide
The headline of your story should be a sentence fragment that succinctly sums up its main point.
Use catchy wording to attract attention, but make sure the headline is representative of the actual content of the story.
For example: "Community Mourns Loss of Popular Football Coach" "Powerful Earthquake Strikes Bay Area" "President to Appear in Town this Weekend"
The first sentence of a news article is called the lead (also spelled "lead") and contains the story's most essential details.
Even if people don't read past the lead, they should come away from the story knowing the main gist.
The lead is written in third person and answers the classic news story questions: who, what, when, where, why and how? Take these examples: "An outbreak of flu in San Francisco has led to 3 elementary school closings this week, according to school officials." "A missing Jefferson County girl was found Monday taking shelter in an abandoned cabin, the National Park Service said."
Fill out the story with details that provide context, the opinions of people you interviewed, and any other necessary facts that readers should know to completely understand what happened.
Each follow-up paragraph has its own main point, and no paragraph is longer than about 50 words.
Write follow-up paragraphs in order of importance, rather than in chronological order.
Readers should be able to skim through the first part of the article and get the necessary information first.
If they're interested, they may read to the end for in-depth coverage of the subject.
Weave in statements you collected from your interviews, relevant statistics, and historical information to back up each point you make. , The last paragraph brings the article full circle, summarizing the main points and concluding with information readers might need to continue following the story.
About the Author
Marilyn Palmer
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: