How to Write Fast Newspaper Articles

While experienced journalists can often work up a newspaper article quickly, beginners occasionally struggle with the process. Here are a few simple tips that will help you write a fast newspaper article.

Instructions

Preparing a Fast Newspaper Article: Research and Organize

1. Research your article before heading out to an interview or event, if time permits. Jot down a few quick notes, marking important facts and possible questions so you can find them later.

2. Formulate the questions you need answered. Be sure to cover the "five Ws and H" of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how. To keep your notes and thoughts organized, prepare questions that cover one "W" or "H" at a time. For instance, don't ask, "Can you tell me about the accident?" Ask who was involved in the accident, when did the accident occur and what happened.

3. Create a "frame" for the story, if time permits, . This may be as simple as a basic outline or as elaborate as a pre-prepared story with space left to insert facts and quotes once you've gathered them. Take a copy with you to the interview or event to ensure you hit all the missing points.

4. Attend the interview or event. While you're taking notes, put a star or check mark in the margins beside important information and quotes. This way, you'll be able to find them easily when it's time to draft the article. If possible, rank the information's importance by placing a "1" next to the most important details, a "2" next to the second most important and so on.

Writing a Fast Newspaper Article

1. Write your article as soon as possible after attending the event or completing the interviews. This will allow you to set up the story while it's still fresh in your mind, reducing the amount of time you must spend reviewing your notes. Minimize distractions in your work area by silencing your cell phone and closing the door.

2. Put the fill-in-the-blanks frame or the outline, if you have created one, in front of you while you write. Begin by answering the "five Ws and H" in the first paragraph. Fill in the rest of the story in the "inverted pyramid" fashion, using your notes as a guide.

3. Write in the active voice. For instance, write "John Doe drove the car," not "the car was driven by John Doe." Using short, active sentences minimizes the amount of time you'll need for editing by eliminating the need to rearrange word order.

4. Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Aim for sentences under 25 words in length and paragraphs containing no more than three short sentences. Write sentences that use a minimum of punctuation. If you find yourself littering a sentence with commas, break it into two or even three sentences.

5. Run a spell-checking program over the article, and review it quickly for any misused homophones, such as "to" instead of "too" or "there" instead of "their." If time permits, take a five-minute break from the article before you review it, or ask a colleague to review it.

References

• Mtsu.edu: Inverted Pyramid Story Format
• Docstoc.com: Easy Steps to Write a News Story
• Bfi.org.uk: How to Write a Newspaper Article

Resources

• Sample Newspaper Articles