How to Write News Articles

X

wikiHow is a “wiki” site, which means that many of the articles here are written by multiple authors. To create this article, 83 people, some of whom are anonymous, have edited and improved the article over time.

There are 9 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 59,627 times.

Writing news is not like writing other news articles or articles, because with news, information is presented in a very unique way. The key here is to convey all relevant content in a limited word count and present the facts to the target audience in a concise manner. Understanding how to write news articles can support a career in journalism as well as help you develop your skills to write and communicate information in a concise, clear way.

Table of Contents

Make an outline

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/2/23/Define-a-Problem-Step-4-Version-2.jpg/v4-728px-Define-a-Problem- Step-4-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/23/Define-a-Problem-Step-4-Version-2.jpg/ v4-728px-Define-a-Problem-Step-4-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:” <div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Research your topic. To start writing news articles, you need to learn a lot about the topic you want to write about. For a paper to be believable, fluent, and well-structured, you need to have a good understanding of its subject matter.

If you’ve ever written a research paper, you already know what topic research is. The first step in writing a news article or editorial is similar.
Start by asking yourself 5 (sometimes 6) questions. ^{[1] X Research Source}
- Who – who is involved?
- What – what happened?
- Where – where did it take place?
- Why – why does that happen?
- When – when does it happen?
- How – how did it happen?

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/2/2f/Do-Research-Step-19.jpg/v4-728px-Do-Research-Step-19.jpg”,” bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/2f/Do-Research-Step-19.jpg/v4-728px-Do-Research-Step-19.jpg”,”smallWidth” :460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Gather all your information.

Once you can clearly answer the above five questions, jot down a list of all the relevant facts and information that should be included in the article. Sort events into three groups:
- 1) need to be included in the article.
- 2) interesting but not important.
- 3) related but not important to the goal of the article.
The list will help you not to miss any relevant information about the topic or story and at the same time, get the article concise and easy to read.
Specifically, be as clear as possible when writing all of these facts and information. In the future, you can always remove unnecessary information and cut it out much easier than having to add to the article.
At this point, information gaps are acceptable – if you don’t have the right information, you can write down the question and bookmark it so you don’t forget to find out later.
Now that you have the information, if the editor has not assigned you the type of article to write, decide for yourself. Ask yourself if this is an opinion piece, an article based on information given purely and objectively, or a combination of the two.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/b5/Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-18-Version-2.jpg/v4-728px- Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-18-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b5/Accept-Mistakes- and-Learn-from-Them-Step-18-Version-2.jpg/v4-728px-Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-18-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460 ,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Make an outline. Your outline, and then your writing, should have a texture similar to an inverted triangle. The inverted triangle allows you to build a story where the most important information is at the top. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you’ve ever heard the term “burying the lead” in English, it’s a term that talks about the structure of an article. ^{[3] X Research Source} “The quote” is the first sentence of the article – the sentence that you use to “direct” the whole article. Not “burying the lead” simply means that you shouldn’t let your readers read a few paragraphs before understanding what the article is trying to say. In Vietnam, you can understand this as paraphrasing, with the main idea always coming first.
No matter what forum you’re writing for, print or online, many readers won’t finish reading your post. When writing news articles, you should focus on getting your readers what they want as quickly as possible.
Write on the urgent line. The fold line appears in the newspaper where the page is doubled. Look at a newspaper and you’ll see all the top stories are laid out on the fold. The same goes for online articles. This virtual fold line is the bottom line of the screen, before scrolling down. Let the best information above capture attention and encourage readers to read on.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/6/61/Choose-a-Recruitment-Agency-Step-3.jpg/v4-728px-Choose-a-Recruitment-Agency- Step-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/61/Choose-a-Recruitment-Agency-Step-3.jpg/v4-728px-Choose- a-Recruitment-Agency-Step-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser -output”></div>”}

Understand your readers. To write a good news story, you need to know exactly who you’re writing for. Readers will determine the tone and intonation of your article, helping you know what to include.

Ask yourself the 5 questions above again, but this time in relation to your readers.
Questions like: what is the average age of your audience, where do they live, locally or nationally, why are these readers reading your article, and what do they want? from it… These questions will tell you how to write.
Once you know who you’re writing for, you can format your outline to get the best information out to the right audience as quickly as possible.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/a/a9/Have-a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Have- a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-3-Version-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a9/Have-a-Good-Job- Interview-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Have-a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-3-Version-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,” bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Find the viewing angle. Why is this article unique to you? What is your voice here? These questions will make your news article special and, sometimes, the product that only you can write.

Even when covering a popular story or topic written by other people, find a perspective that makes it your own.
Do you have personal experience related to this topic? It is also possible that you know an expert and interview them.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/b7/Have-a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Have- a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-9-Version-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b7/Have-a-Good-Job- Interview-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Have-a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-9-Version-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,” bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Interview. When writing news articles, interviewing people and getting first-hand information on the topic can be invaluable. And while approaching and asking for an interview may seem daunting, it can greatly affect the credibility and persuasiveness of an article. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

People often want to talk about their personal experiences, especially when they will be highlighted somewhere, such as in your news article. Reach out to them by phone, email or even social media and ask someone if you can interview them.
When interviewing, you need to follow a few rules: define yourself as a journalist. Have an open mind. Maintain objectivity. While you’re encouraged to ask questions and listen to trivia, you’re not there to make judgments.
Record and transcribe key information from the interview and be clear with what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.

Write news articles

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/9/96/Write-a-Grant-Proposal-Step-16-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Write-a- Grant-Proposal-Step-16-Version-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/96/Write-a-Grant-Proposal-Step-16- Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Write-a-Grant-Proposal-Step-16-Version-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight” :546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Start with a quote. Let’s start with a good lead. News articles begin with a quote that captures the reader’s attention and interest. That is one of the most important parts of the article. Therefore, start with good material when writing articles. Don’t forget our inverted triangle.

The narration should be one sentence, stating clearly but fully the topic of the article.
Remember those times when you had to write essays at school? Your lead sentence is similar to your thesis statement.
Let your readers know what your news article is about, why it’s important, and what the rest of the article will cover.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/6/66/Have-a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-4-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Have- a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-4-Version-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/66/Have-a-Good-Job- Interview-Step-4-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Have-a-Good-Job-Interview-Step-4-Version-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,” bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Include all the important details. The next important step in news writing is to include any relevant facts and details relevant to your headline. Include background information on what happened, when and where, who was involved, and why it deserves to be in the news.

These details are important because they play a key role in providing complete information to the reader of the article.
If you’re writing opinion pieces, this will be the place to do it, too.

Read and edit articles

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/5/53/Defend-Against-Appropriation-of-Name-or-Likeness-Claims-Step-15.jpg/v4-728px- Defend-Against-Appropriation-of-Name-or-Likeness-Claims-Step-15.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/53/Defend-Against- Appropriation-of-Name-or-Likeness-Claims-Step-15.jpg/v4-728px-Defend-Against-Appropriation-of-Name-or-Likeness-Claims-Step-15.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460 ,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Check information before publishing. Whether you’re writing professional news articles or doing a school assignment, your article won’t be complete until all the information has been checked. Including inaccurate information will immediately discredit the article and can make it difficult for you as a journalist.

Be sure to double-check all information in the news article before submitting, including name, date, and contact information or address. Writing correctly is one of the best ways to shape yourself as a good news journalist.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/5/5f/Reduce-Your-Student-Loan-Payments-Step-4-Version-2.jpg/v4-728px-Reduce- Your-Student-Loan-Payments-Step-4-Version-2.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/5f/Reduce-Your-Student-Loan- Payments-Step-4-Version-2.jpg/v4-728px-Reduce-Your-Student-Loan-Payments-Step-4-Version-2.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,” bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

You must have followed the outline closely and been consistent in style. Journalism in general and news articles in particular have many styles, from objective reporting to Gonzo (Journalism style in which reporters present events with a subjective attitude, usually through storytelling in First Person). ^{[5] X Research Sources}^{[6] X Research Sources}

If your news article’s goal is to convey direct information rather than express the writer’s point of view, be sure to keep your writing objective and unbiased. Avoid overly negative or overly positive language as well as statements that could be interpreted as supportive or critical.
If you want the article to be more of a deductive journalistic style, check to make sure you’ve included enough in-depth explanations of the larger story as well as providing plenty of insight.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/2/26/Become-President-of-the-United-States-Step-4.jpg/v4-728px-Become-President- of-the-United-States-Step-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/26/Become-President-of-the-United-States- Step-4.jpg/v4-728px-Become-President-of-the-United-States-Step-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight” :546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Follow Federation of Press style in formatting and source citation. Journalists and the news they write are subject to the Press Federation style in their sources and citations in most cases. The Press Federation’s Writing Guide is a textbook for journalists and should be consulted for proper format. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

When quoting someone, write exactly what is said inside quotation marks and immediately state the person’s title. Formal titles should be capitalized and preceded by a person’s name. Example: “Chairman of the province Nguyen Van A”. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Always write numbers from one to nine in words, but use numerals for numbers 10 or more.
When writing news articles, make sure that there is only one space after the dot, not two. ^{[9] X Research Source}

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/88/Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px- Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-3-Version-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/88/Accept-Mistakes- and-Learn-from-Them-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Accept-Mistakes-and-Learn-from-Them-Step-3-Version-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460 ,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

To editor read your post. Even if you’ve checked it a few times and think everything is in order, you should still let other eyes see it. In addition to finding spelling and grammatical errors, editors will be able to help you shorten certain sections and simplify unnatural sentences.

Don’t submit any news articles for publication without letting someone else see them first. Someone else can double-check the facts and information to make sure that what you write is correct.
If writing news articles for your school or personal website, let a friend take a look and give you a few comments. Sometimes you will get things that you want to excuse or disagree with. However, you should listen no matter what. Remember that with so many news articles being published every minute, you need to make sure that the widest possible audience can absorb the information you provide.

Advice

Start with research and ask five questions. They will help you shape the outline and story of your paper.
During the interview, don’t forget to be polite and honest about what you’re writing.
Put the most important information at the beginning of the article.
Double-check that all information is correct and cited correctly.
Unless required otherwise, always adhere to the style of the Press Federation.
Ask a friend to proofread the article as some passages may be difficult for others to understand.
Always segment and leave room for images.

Steps

Make an outline

Write news articles

Read and edit articles

Advice

Related Posts