Few things to remember

Two Ws were missing

Two Ws were missingWhere and when?

“Thomson, who spoke Tuesday at the Learning & Families journalism class, said reporting….”

After the lede...

Ledes are so important because they force you to organize and prioritize your material

Ledes are so important because they force you to organize and prioritize your material

But most of the time, the lede is just the beginning

Ledes are so important because they force you to organize and prioritize your material

But most of the time, the lede is just the beginning

Important to have some idea of how long your story will be: depends on your editor or teacher

Ledes are so important because they force you to organize and prioritize your material

But most of the time, the lede is just the beginning

Important to have some idea of how long your story will be: depends on your editor or teacher

Creation of universe covered in Genesis chapter 1... just seven graphs! Is Genesis 1:1 best lede ever?

Genesis 1:1 (ESV)In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Briefs A short inverted pyramid news story

Briefs A short inverted pyramid news story From one to maybe five graphs

Briefs A short inverted pyramid news story From one to maybe five graphs Still immensely popular in all media: local,

state, national, international, print, broadcast and internet

Brites

Brites A featurette: generally odd or amusing

nuggets

Brites A featurette: generally odd or amusing

nuggets Relief from the hard news of the day

Brites A featurette: generally odd or amusing

nuggets Relief from the hard news of the day Ledes are fun, designed to draw you in... not

inverted pyramid

The nut graph (or graf)

The nut graph (or graf) Keep in mind: basically two broad types of

stories: hard news with inverted pyramid lede that gets right to the point... and stories that don’t get there until the second graph or even later

The nut graph (or graf) Keep in mind: basically two broad types of

stories: hard news with inverted pyramid lede that gets right to the point... and stories that don’t get there until the second graph or even later

So when you have a soft lede or an anecdote lede, you need a nut graph to explain what the story’s all about: the first sentence doesn’t do that

The nut graph (or graf) Keep in mind: basically two broad types of

stories: hard news with inverted pyramid lede that gets right to the point... and stories that don’t get there until the second graph or even later

So when you have a soft lede or an anecdote lede, you need a nut graph to explain what the story’s all about: the first sentence doesn’t do that

Called the nut graph because it condenses everything in a nutshell

Which dog poop story did you like best?

Write a brite A Teamster was using a portable potty at a job

site in Richland, Washington (need dateline!) The job site was a nuclear reactor While he was inside, a forklift operator picked up

the toilet. The driver did not know anyone was inside

The forklift moved the chemical toilet a foot off the ground and across a gravel road

The forklift blocked the door so the Teamster could not get out

When he put the toilet down, the operator heard the Teamster and let him out

Story structure

Story structure Every story is different… but there is nothing

random about journalism

Story structure Every story is different… but there is nothing

random about journalism Plan your stories

Story structure Every story is different… but there is nothing

random about journalism Plan your stories Breaking and “hard” news?

Inverted pyramidMost important facts

Additional factsMore factsEtc. Etc.

Etc

Martini glass

Martini glass Use for big crimes, disasters and other

dramatic news stories needing a chronology

Martini glassLede (often not inverted pyramid)

Key facts in nut grafChronology of events

Kicker

The Kabob AKA, The Wall Street Journal formula

The Kabob AKA, The Wall Street Journal formula Opening anecdote… nut graf… details…

closing anecdote

Both martini and kebob have strong closing grafs… quotes, parallel anecdotes, emotion

Inverted pyramid generally goes until you run out of facts… designed to cut from the bottom up

Transitions Really important to keep your stories flowing

Transitions Really important to keep your stories flowing Short grafs… usually a single sentence. Why?

Transitions Really important to keep your stories flowing Short grafs… usually a single sentence. Why?

Transitions Really important to keep your stories flowing Short grafs… usually a single sentence. Why? Hit the return key every time you type a

period!

Transitions Really important to keep your stories flowing Short grafs… usually a single sentence. Why? Hit the return key every time you type a

period! Use transition words: but, instead, however,

in addition, finally, meanwhile, previously

Finally, rewrite One big key to excellent writing in all genres is

rewriting

Finally, rewrite One big key to excellent writing in all genres is

rewriting “nobody rewrites more than the true

professional” Especially true for ledes and nut grafs

Assignment 10/29 Pages 51-61