How to Write Newsworthy Articles
News is information about events in the world that have happened, are happening or will happen. It also includes information about people and the things they do. It also contains information about politics, business and sports. News is a very important part of society, as it lets people know what is going on around them and what to expect in the future. There are many different kinds of news, but all must be accurate and impartial in accordance with ethical rules.
In order to make an article newsworthy, it must be unusual, interesting or significant. It must also be new. For example, the assassination of Mrs Gandhi could be a big piece of news, but if the facts about it have already been published, it cannot be news again. If, on the other hand, some details of her assassination are made public for the first time, it can be reported again.
The first step in writing an article of news is to research the topic extensively. Once you have a thorough understanding of the subject, write down all the facts and figures that you have gathered. This will help you to decide what needs to be included in your article and where to focus your attention.
Once you have a good idea of what the story should be about, brainstorm a catchy headline that will grab reader’s attention. The headline should be short, concise and clearly explain the newsworthy topic of the article. It should also be able to evoke emotion or curiosity.
Next, determine the target demographic of your news article. This will often be determined by the publication or website you are writing for. However, it can sometimes be narrowed down further based on the topic of the article. For example, if you are writing about zoning laws in a commercial area, the target demographic might be real estate agents and local business owners.
Crime: Any crime is potentially newsworthy, but murders and robberies will generally attract more attention than minor thefts. Money: All sorts of stories about money are newsworthy, including fortunes made and lost, school fees, taxes, the budget, food prices, salary rises and compensation claims.
Health: All societies are interested in stories about medical research, hospitals and clinics, diseases and remedies, diet, exercise and sex. However, sex stories usually involve behaviour which is outside of society’s generally accepted norms.
The final step in writing a news article is to include all the relevant information in an order which makes sense for the story. It is important not to include anything that might be deemed as ‘fluff’, such as unnecessary quotes or embellishments of facts. It is also important to avoid using adjectives such as brilliant, excellent or extraordinary, which may sound contrived or unconvincing. Instead, use verbs which are active and clear – ‘Dr Jones has used this equipment to study malaria’ rather than ‘this equipment has been used by Dr Jones to study malaria’.