Writing Style for Newspapers

When writing articles and announcements for newspapers, put the most important information at the beginning of the article. Studies show that people spend very little time reading news stories and they lose interest after reading only one or two lines, so presenting important information up front will draw attention to the story and get your message to your readers quickly. Also, try to keep in mind the three “W’s” in news writing. The three W’s are Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Also include a reference to the GFWC in the article, and if possible, in the title. Finally, keep your articles short, while still getting your message across.

An example of an announcement:

Northford Women’s Club GFWC/CT November Meeting

The Northford Women’s Club (1) will be holding their General Assembly meeting (2) on November 19 at 7:30 P.M.(3) at St. Andrew's Church Hall, Middletown Avenue, Northford (4). Bring your favorite chocolate concoction and we will drown ourselves in a sea of chocolate while we put pen to paper in friendly collaboration to report on the clubs’ activities for the past year (5). Members and guests are encouraged to take home samples, so bring a container. The Northford Women’s Club is a civic organization dedicated to promoting deeper friendships among women of our town and surrounding areas, participating in community service, and cooperating with the club work of the Connecticut State Federation of Women’s Clubs, member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. For more information on the Northford Women’s Club, contact Kathy at 666-1111. http://www.geocities.com/northfordwc

When dissecting this article, you will find the main elements up front, with contact information at the end.

1. Who: The Northford Women’s Club

2. What: General Assembly meeting

3.Where: St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Middletown Avenue, Northford

4. When: November 19 at 7:30 P.M.

5. Why: Bring your favorite chocolate concoction and we will drown ourselves in a sea of chocolate while we put pen to paper in friendly collaboration to report on the clubs’ activities for the past year

GFWC information: cooperating with the club work of the Connecticut State Federation of Women’s Clubs, member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs

Contact Info: Kathy Tobin at 484-9521. http://www.geocities.com/northfordwc

Photography

Include a photo if you are writing about an event whenever possible. Be sure to get permission from the people in the photo before publishing their picture. Include names of everyone in the photo and the activity or company that is associated with their appearance.

Try to use action shots whenever possible. Group shots are also good, and photos of children and pets are especially desirable. Close-up shots are better than distance shots, since the detail will appear better in print. Keep the backgrounds simple and complementary.

If you are using electronic files, check with the newspaper before emailing a photo. Find out what type of file format they prefer and what size resolution. If the resolution is too low, it will appear blurry. Also, find out if they prefer black and white or color. If you have access to software editing programs, you can crop, sharpen, and change the resolution and size of a photograph before sending it in.

Deadlines

Pay attention to deadlines of each publication. It is a good idea to mark them on your calendar as a reminder so that you don’t miss any of them. Every paper has a different set of deadline rules. Find out what they are and make a note of them. Get your story in early for best placement.

Writing Style for Newspapers When writing articles and announcements for newspapers, put the most important information at the beginning of the article. Studies show that people spend very little time reading news stories and they lose interest after reading only one or two lines, so presenting important information up front will draw attention to the story and get your message to your readers quickly. Also, try to keep in mind the three “W’s” in news writing. The three W’s are Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Also include a reference to the GFWC in the article, and if possible, in the title. Finally, keep your articles short, while still getting your message across. An example of an announcement: Northford Women’s Club GFWC/CT November Meeting The Northford Women’s Club (1) will be holding their General Assembly meeting (2) on November 19 at 7:30 P.M.(3) at St. Andrew's Church Hall, Middletown Avenue, Northford (4). Bring your favorite chocolate concoction and we will drown ourselves in a sea of chocolate while we put pen to paper in friendly collaboration to report on the clubs’ activities for the past year (5). Members and guests are encouraged to take home samples, so bring a container. The Northford Women’s Club is a civic organization dedicated to promoting deeper friendships among women of our town and surrounding areas, participating in community service, and cooperating with the club work of the Connecticut State Federation of Women’s Clubs, member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. For more information on the Northford Women’s Club, contact Kathy at 666-1111. http://www.geocities.com/northfordwc When dissecting this article, you will find the main elements up front, with contact information at the end. 1. Who: The Northford Women’s Club 2. What: General Assembly meeting 3.Where: St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Middletown Avenue, Northford 4. When: November 19 at 7:30 P.M. 5. Why: Bring your favorite chocolate concoction and we will drown ourselves in a sea of chocolate while we put pen to paper in friendly collaboration to report on the clubs’ activities for the past year GFWC information: cooperating with the club work of the Connecticut State Federation of Women’s Clubs, member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Contact Info: Kathy Tobin at 484-9521. http://www.geocities.com/northfordwc Photography Include a photo if you are writing about an event whenever possible. Be sure to get permission from the people in the photo before publishing their picture. Include names of everyone in the photo and the activity or company that is associated with their appearance. Try to use action shots whenever possible. Group shots are also good, and photos of children and pets are especially desirable. Close-up shots are better than distance shots, since the detail will appear better in print. Keep the backgrounds simple and complementary. If you are using electronic files, check with the newspaper before emailing a photo. Find out what type of file format they prefer and what size resolution. If the resolution is too low, it will appear blurry. Also, find out if they prefer black and white or color. If you have access to software editing programs, you can crop, sharpen, and change the resolution and size of a photograph before sending it in. Deadlines Pay attention to deadlines of each publication. It is a good idea to mark them on your calendar as a reminder so that you don’t miss any of them. Every paper has a different set of deadline rules. Find out what they are and make a note of them. Get your story in early for best placement.