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1st sentance 5 w's. No more than 22 words as a grab line
1st paragraph - make reader curious include a hook. Be acurate, facts should be correct, include cliches and search for special ingridient that makes your story stand out.
paragraphs throughout should consist of only two or three sentances.
Use quotes (expert opinion/direct witness)
Keep language simple
9 golden rules -
1 - K.I.S.S (keep it short and simple) local news papers usually have shorter sentances of between 16 and 20 words. Keep to familiar simple vocabulary which the broadest audience can access
2. Reading for speed - sentances and headlines are short. Crossheads break the story down into bitesize pieces, collums are narrow and easy to read.
3. never use 3 words when 1 will do - you will rarely see these phrases: in the future, in the first instance, on subject of, in the small hours, in consequence of
4. dont repeat yourself - dont use two words that mean the same thing e.g 'uniquely special' 'final outcome' 'important essentials'
5. Use active verbs e.g burgulars took the corgie rather than the corgie was taken by the burgulars
6. play with language - use puns e.g 'chippy gets a battering' 'steve davis arrived on cue'
7. make the story personal - particulary in local papers, people sell papers
8. catogorize people in the news - e.g grey haired pensioner, secret lover, mover of two, retired teacher 65
9. things to avoid - cliches - euphamism, being too chatty (no gossip) unnecasery use of foreign or american phrases
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