http://www.projo.com/words/tip506.htm
The following article is full of more suggestions about how to finish your article. It is about planning ahead.
What do you do when you can't find the ending?
What do you do when you can't find the ending?
Re-read your beginning. Why did you open that way?
Ask yourself what the story is about. What is the last thing you want the reader to remember?
Read through your notes to see if you've included everything of importance. Most news stories don't require a finely crafted ending. Just stop.
Often the best endings bring you back to the beginning. Look for ways to make that work for you.
Write a couple of different versions of the lead. Sometimes, a second-choice lead makes a great ending.
Just stop. Sometimes an abrupt ending is better than three or four aimless paragraphs in search of an ending.
It's there. You've already written it. Go back and find it.
Look to the future. What is happening next in a running story? What can we expect? Choose your ending before you start writing. Your first choice may not be the final one, but the process helps in mapping out the flow and line of the story. Also, it is much easier to change an ending than to search for one.
Showing posts with label news writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news writing. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A Good Lead
9H REMINDER: Bring in an English news article on Friday so we can dissect it. Use the news sources from this post.
http://www.projo.com/words/20030731_tp.htm
The following article is from a writer who was creating a news story. It describes the process of creating a story and choosing a focus for that story. While you read, ask yourself: What will the focus of your news story from Excursion Day be? How will you decide on a lead?
Time takes over in the quest for the right lead
By Michael P. McKinneyJournal Staff Writer
I'm still not sure the right lead ended up on this story about a barge tanker that spilled thousands of gallons of oil into Buzzards Bay off the Massachusetts coast.
I got back to the office close to 6:30 p.m. with a notebook full of imagery: Oil-covered birds near death on examination tables, oil in the water, men in spacesuits shoveling globs off the beach.
But something nagged at me. During a press conference at the Otis Air Force base, officials said a couple of oil masses in Buzzards Bay resisted efforts by ships to clean up the mess. That seemed like big enough news.
The question was: Use a straight-news lead or an anecdotal beginning about dying birds and globs of oil? For a while, I tried to do both -- in one paragraph. But that didn't work.
In the end, with time running out to write, the straightforward lead won, with birds and spacesuits getting the second paragraph.
At first, reporting the story seemed simple. I observed at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Mass., as men and women dunked birds in buckets of detergent and held the birds down to help them fight the oil. Plenty of drama.
But from there, the story became more difficult. It was a second-day look at the fallout of the spill, yet finding the oil everyone was talking about proved elusive. I went to Horseneck Beach in Westport, Mass. Nothing tangible there, other than people sun-bathing. Then I went to Fairhaven, Mass., where photographer Bob Thayer and I finally tracked down oil globs on the beach.
Meanwhile, I had to be mindful of the clock: A press conference was scheduled for the afternoon at Otis Air Force base over on Cape Cod. One piece of advice: The military doesn't always see time the way we do.
I made it to the gate of the base on time. The guards asked me if I had a pass to get on base. I did not. They directed me -- and some other reporters -- to a sort of impound lane. Time marched on. And on. And on. Finally, one soldier checked out all the cars then sent an escort -- at least a half-hour after the press conference started.
As we arrived, reporters streamed out of the building. That sinking feeling set in. We'd missed it.
Military and marine officials agreed to hold a mini-press conference for us. Then it was time to drive back.
Sitting at the computer, the question, as always, was what was this story about? There's no doubt people were worried about the impact the oil might have on the shellfish industry -- a major business for the region. And if those oil masses could not be contained by ships, it seemed they could become a further threat to the people who benefit from the industry.
Still, even with the debate about the top of the story, I found that the rest of it flowed pretty well. When I came to a section about the doctors trying to rescue oil-covered birds, I found that it helped to blank out the rest of the story and begin as if the birds were the lead of the piece:
``Yesterday was about small moments of heroism. In the quarantine building of Buttonwood Park Zoo, in New Bedford, four people in scrubs and plastic gloves tried to rescue birds at the edge of death. There was no time for names. Each bird had only a number.''
I don't know, maybe some version of that could have been the lead. But the clock hit 8:30 p.m. Time to let go of the story.
http://www.projo.com/words/20030731_tp.htm
The following article is from a writer who was creating a news story. It describes the process of creating a story and choosing a focus for that story. While you read, ask yourself: What will the focus of your news story from Excursion Day be? How will you decide on a lead?
Time takes over in the quest for the right lead
By Michael P. McKinneyJournal Staff Writer
I'm still not sure the right lead ended up on this story about a barge tanker that spilled thousands of gallons of oil into Buzzards Bay off the Massachusetts coast.
I got back to the office close to 6:30 p.m. with a notebook full of imagery: Oil-covered birds near death on examination tables, oil in the water, men in spacesuits shoveling globs off the beach.
But something nagged at me. During a press conference at the Otis Air Force base, officials said a couple of oil masses in Buzzards Bay resisted efforts by ships to clean up the mess. That seemed like big enough news.
The question was: Use a straight-news lead or an anecdotal beginning about dying birds and globs of oil? For a while, I tried to do both -- in one paragraph. But that didn't work.
In the end, with time running out to write, the straightforward lead won, with birds and spacesuits getting the second paragraph.
At first, reporting the story seemed simple. I observed at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, Mass., as men and women dunked birds in buckets of detergent and held the birds down to help them fight the oil. Plenty of drama.
But from there, the story became more difficult. It was a second-day look at the fallout of the spill, yet finding the oil everyone was talking about proved elusive. I went to Horseneck Beach in Westport, Mass. Nothing tangible there, other than people sun-bathing. Then I went to Fairhaven, Mass., where photographer Bob Thayer and I finally tracked down oil globs on the beach.
Meanwhile, I had to be mindful of the clock: A press conference was scheduled for the afternoon at Otis Air Force base over on Cape Cod. One piece of advice: The military doesn't always see time the way we do.
I made it to the gate of the base on time. The guards asked me if I had a pass to get on base. I did not. They directed me -- and some other reporters -- to a sort of impound lane. Time marched on. And on. And on. Finally, one soldier checked out all the cars then sent an escort -- at least a half-hour after the press conference started.
As we arrived, reporters streamed out of the building. That sinking feeling set in. We'd missed it.
Military and marine officials agreed to hold a mini-press conference for us. Then it was time to drive back.
Sitting at the computer, the question, as always, was what was this story about? There's no doubt people were worried about the impact the oil might have on the shellfish industry -- a major business for the region. And if those oil masses could not be contained by ships, it seemed they could become a further threat to the people who benefit from the industry.
Still, even with the debate about the top of the story, I found that the rest of it flowed pretty well. When I came to a section about the doctors trying to rescue oil-covered birds, I found that it helped to blank out the rest of the story and begin as if the birds were the lead of the piece:
``Yesterday was about small moments of heroism. In the quarantine building of Buttonwood Park Zoo, in New Bedford, four people in scrubs and plastic gloves tried to rescue birds at the edge of death. There was no time for names. Each bird had only a number.''
I don't know, maybe some version of that could have been the lead. But the clock hit 8:30 p.m. Time to let go of the story.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Büyükada Times
What a beautiful day we had on the island! I started my day with a carriage ride to the top of the island where some colleagues and I had some snacks and some tea and enjoyed the beautiful view. What a great place to be when not many people are there. We saw some horses on the way
and many other carriages and people enjoying themselves! 
My husband and I visited on Children's Day last year, and it was awful. We walked and walked and really went nowhere and then walked and walked some more and got some ice cream and a waffle and left the island. At least we can always end the day with some ice cream and a waffle even when the island is crowded!
I loved seeing all of you enjoying your time together and talking to people in the island. I was happy to see some students immediately plop down next to some of the elderly men who were sitting on the benches on the water's edge. I imagine not many people stop to talk, so it was nice to see young kids talking with older people in such a positive way.
I also thought that it was ingenious of some of you to interview your horse and carriage driver while he drove you to the top of the island. It was very resourceful and a good use of time. I only hope they realized you were sincerely interested in what they had to say.
Good job my little journalists! I hope your articles are as good as they already sound!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Newspaper Writing
What is a lead? Look at my post from two days ago and tell me what you think a lead is.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
A Lead
What question words does this paragraph answer?
Article Title: Russians Vacate Buffer Zones in Georgia
ERGNETI, Georgia - The Georgian authorities reclaimed this ransacked village on Wednesday after it had been under Russian control since August. They kissed one another in congratulation, cleared rotting food from the shelves of a grocery, and got down to serious business: getting a look at the enemy.
Article Title: Russians Vacate Buffer Zones in Georgia
ERGNETI, Georgia - The Georgian authorities reclaimed this ransacked village on Wednesday after it had been under Russian control since August. They kissed one another in congratulation, cleared rotting food from the shelves of a grocery, and got down to serious business: getting a look at the enemy.
Monday, September 22, 2008
News Articles - 1900s
Below is a newspaper article from the early 1900s (around the time period of the play). If you want to read more you can go to this site.
note: The reason I am posting about newspaper articles and asking you to read them is because your written exam will be writing a news article surrounding the plot of the play. You need to be familiar with how newspaper articles are written in English speaking papers and you will be asked to mimic this style of writing during your exam.
New and sensational stories of terrorism, murder and violence in Harlan County, Ky., were told by witnesses before the Senate Civil Liberties Committee last week.
The killing of their 19 year-old son was described by Marshal A. Musick, a Baptist preacher and union organizer, and his wife. After the father had received repeated warning that his life was in danger, a broadside of bullets was fired into the living room of the Musick home on February 9, killing 19-year-old Bennett Musick and wounding the mother and two other children.
Holding up his crippled bullet-mutilated hands for all to see, Hugh Taylor, a former Harlan Deputy, testified that Sheriff Theodore R. Middleton had offered him “2,000 and a new automobile”, if he would forget about the bullets fired at him by other deputies when he protested the Musick killing, and hide out until the Senate investigation was over.
A Harlan deputy, “Bill” Johnson, described himself as a “gun thug” and told how he was always “goin” out and catchin’ union organizers, taken’ them for a ride and bumpin’ ‘em off.” “But” he hastened to add, “I never killed anybody-not in Harlan County anyway.”
Sheriff Middleton, who admitted, that he and his wife had acquired property valued at $102,728 in the last three years, blandly informed the committee Friday that “quite a lot of violence has been committed by my deputies.” Admitting that he knew two deputies had shot a fellow officer and left him for dead on a mountain roadside, he said: “As a rule we don’t dismiss them until they are convicted.”
note: The reason I am posting about newspaper articles and asking you to read them is because your written exam will be writing a news article surrounding the plot of the play. You need to be familiar with how newspaper articles are written in English speaking papers and you will be asked to mimic this style of writing during your exam.
Harlan County Murder and Mutilation
May 2, 1937
May 2, 1937
New and sensational stories of terrorism, murder and violence in Harlan County, Ky., were told by witnesses before the Senate Civil Liberties Committee last week.
The killing of their 19 year-old son was described by Marshal A. Musick, a Baptist preacher and union organizer, and his wife. After the father had received repeated warning that his life was in danger, a broadside of bullets was fired into the living room of the Musick home on February 9, killing 19-year-old Bennett Musick and wounding the mother and two other children.
Holding up his crippled bullet-mutilated hands for all to see, Hugh Taylor, a former Harlan Deputy, testified that Sheriff Theodore R. Middleton had offered him “2,000 and a new automobile”, if he would forget about the bullets fired at him by other deputies when he protested the Musick killing, and hide out until the Senate investigation was over.
A Harlan deputy, “Bill” Johnson, described himself as a “gun thug” and told how he was always “goin” out and catchin’ union organizers, taken’ them for a ride and bumpin’ ‘em off.” “But” he hastened to add, “I never killed anybody-not in Harlan County anyway.”
Sheriff Middleton, who admitted, that he and his wife had acquired property valued at $102,728 in the last three years, blandly informed the committee Friday that “quite a lot of violence has been committed by my deputies.” Admitting that he knew two deputies had shot a fellow officer and left him for dead on a mountain roadside, he said: “As a rule we don’t dismiss them until they are convicted.”
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Good Newspaper Outlets
Here are some good web sites with newspaper articles in English:
- cnn.com
- nytimes.com
- latimes.com
- thnt.com
- theguardian.co.uk
- independent.co.uk
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