6 News Writing and Editing

Write accurately and clearly

Before drafting, identify the central news: what happened, to whom, when and where, and why it matters. Use specific, familiar words and short, direct sentences. Give names, numbers, dates, and descriptions precisely, and distinguish confirmed facts from claims, estimates, and unknowns.

Use attribution when readers need to know who says something or where information comes from. Prefer concrete wording: “The council approved a $2 million repair plan Tuesday” is clearer than “A decision was made regarding repairs.” Avoid jargon, unexplained acronyms, vague references, and unnecessary adjectives. Accuracy takes priority over speed; check important claims and place them in context.

Build the lead and body

A lead, also spelled lede, opens a story. A summary lead gives readers the most important development and key details in one or two sentences. Keep it focused rather than listing every fact gathered. A feature or scene-setting lead can work when a story benefits from a human moment or narrative opening, but it should not delay the central point for long.

In an inverted-pyramid structure, the lead presents the central news, the next paragraphs supply essential details and explanation, and later paragraphs add supporting information. This makes a story easier to scan and allows less essential material to be cut from the end. It is useful, but not a rule for every story: choose a form that fits the reporting and readers’ needs.

A short nut graf can follow a scene-setting lead or clarify why a developing issue matters. After the opening, organize the body in a clear sequence: explain what happened, provide relevant evidence and responses, and answer questions readers are likely to have. Each paragraph should add information, context, or a meaningful perspective rather than repeat what came before.

For example, a lead could report that a town council voted Tuesday to spend $2 million replacing the aging water main on Pine Street, a project officials say will reduce recurring service disruptions for about 600 homes. The next paragraph could say construction is scheduled to begin in June and is expected to last four months, according to the town’s public works department, and that the council approved the plan 5-2 after residents described repeated water outages at a public meeting. The lead gives the decision, cost, location, and likely impact; the next paragraph adds timing and supporting context. In a real story, these details would need to be confirmed and attributed to reliable reporting.

Use quotations and context

Use a direct quotation when it contributes something readers need: a distinctive firsthand account, a clear explanation, a revealing reaction, or a viewpoint that cannot be conveyed as well through paraphrase. Identify the speaker clearly and preserve the meaning of the full statement. Do not assemble fragments or trim words in a way that changes the speaker’s meaning. If a quote is confusing, repetitive, or awkward, paraphrase it faithfully and reserve quotation marks for the speaker’s actual words.

Give readers enough context to understand a quote. Identify a person’s relevant role, explain unfamiliar terms, and make clear whether a statement is a claim, an opinion, or an established fact. Attribute allegations and disputed information instead of presenting them as proven. Fairness does not require giving every assertion equal weight: explain the evidence and what is known.

Revise and edit the story

Revision improves a story’s meaning and structure; copy editing checks its details and presentation. Read the draft as someone who knows nothing about the subject, then review it systematically:

• Lead and focus: Does the opening state the central news? Does every section serve the story’s main point?

• Structure: Do the paragraphs follow a logical order? Is important context introduced before readers need it?

• Accuracy: Recheck names, titles, dates, places, numbers, calculations, and factual claims against notes or original documents.

• Quotes and attribution: Compare quotations with recordings or notes. Make clear who is speaking and what is independently established.

• Clarity and fairness: Replace vague or loaded language. Explain technical terms. Include relevant responses and limitations.

• Conciseness and mechanics: Remove repetition and unnecessary words; check grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the outlet’s style.

As a final test, summarize the story’s main point in one sentence. If that point is hard to identify, the lead or structure may need another revision. Editors should also look for missing context, unsupported claims, inaccurate quotations, and sentences that are difficult to understand. Effective writing presents the central development early and arranges details purposefully; careful revision checks the story’s shape and factual accuracy, while editing removes errors and needless complexity without changing meaning.