September 25, 2005
A Guide to News Writing
Within the first two chapters of the Associated Press Guide to News Writing, I had been taken back to EL 236: Writing for the Internet. The general idea of reaching the widest possible audience crystallized with the ideology of web writing. In many ways they are similar. Cutting wordiness and not just words is a common theme in both print and online journalism. You can cut words, but some words are critical to the effect of the writing. One example in the book demonstrates this:
It is unusual in the Legislature to have a conference with more than four members.
A conference committee with more than four members is unusual.
This same concept is conveyed in fewer words by using the right words in the right way.
Getting to the point is a major theme with both writing genres. By getting to the point, you lose wordiness. The guide also suggests to put verbs in the active voice. This causes the reader to see exactly who is doing what on who/what and how it is affecting who/what.
By being objective, we have gotten to the point. Giving opinions just doesn't work. It is too much extra information that most people don't have time for. Objectiveness gives the facts and lets the reader come up with the opinion.
In news writing you must be descriptive, but not overtly colorful or cliché. This is to give the reader a glimpse of what happened and what it looked like while avoiding bias and keeping transparency.
If you can remember to get to the point (of the story), you can remember all the other concepts because most of them stem from getting to the point.
Posted by EvanReynolds at September 25, 2005 10:07 PM
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Comments
Thank you, Nancy. I also enjoy your enthusiasm for the material. Glad to see you blogging!
Posted by: Evan at September 27, 2005 9:17 PM
Evan, the illustration you use is very helpful. You make a good point about wordiness, as well. And, off the record, you have a level of maturity that comes through in your writing and classroom comments which I find very impressive!
Posted by: NancyGregg at September 26, 2005 10:00 PM