Writing News and Features

Writing News Stories

• A clear definition of what makes news
• Identifying all the news elements in a story
• Understanding what determines the strength of a news story
• Developing news sense
• The inverted pyramid and its vital role in news
• How to use key points to decide the sequence of information
• How to write introductions that draw the reader into the news story
• Mastering the golden rules of intro writing
• How to write clear, lively sentences
• Using quotes effectively
• Making the story flow

Writing Features

• The distinction between news and features
• The role of features
• Understanding the twenty basic types of feature article
• How to spot feature angles in your day-to-day work
• Identify angles that interest a readership
• Shape and pace feature articles
• The intro and its vital role in a feature article. Why some intros work and others don’t
• Using paragraphs to create a flowing story
• Ways of structuring, styling and ending your article for maximum impact
• Why the word count is critical
• Interviewing skills that will make your article more authoritative and balanced
• Using those skills to handle the internal politics surrounding feature articles

About the trainer

Journalist, author and coach Guy Clapperton has contributed to the Guardian, the Times, Sunday Telegraph, the Independent, FT and many others since 1983. Guy is also one of the UK’s best known media trainers and helps businesses tackle social media. He has also published books on social media and smarter working practices.