Day 4- The nut graph and other handy tools

Start with a plan

Make an outline that includes:

A brief description of the story.

Essential information.

Important details.

Great quotes.

Ideas for a beginning and end.

Note of a special story-telling plan.

Photos and design connections.

Putting it on paper

Use a conversational tone, as if you are talking to a friend.

Keep writing, even if you get stuck.

Loosen up.

Use the dictionary, thesaurus and AP Stylebook for guides.

Don’t fear the lede.

Set the scene for a reason

Use quotes wisely

Have a sense of humor (don’t forget to laugh when you sit down at a keyboard, but also don’t try to be funny when it’s not.)

Have a beginning, a middle and end.

Simple techniques work.

Choose details wisely. Realize that images can be painted in many different types of stories.

Learn the rules. Know the rules. Break the rules.

Find your voice.

Sense the story. Use your heart. Use your skepticism. Use your sense of humor.

Be creative in story-telling.

Don’t shy away from gritty details.

Use vivid words. Own a thesaurus and a dictionary (the one on your computer doesn’t count.)

Ledes: Good ledes shine a light on the story.

There are a million different ways to start a story. When I was a student journalist people gave me lists of ways I could start stories -- anecdotes, questions, scene-setters... I'm not going to do that because I think it becomes a confusing crutch. So let's keep it simple. Just tell the story.

Editing

Double check for accuracy, including names, numbers, quotes and details.

Check for specificity, getting rid of words like many.

Read the story aloud.

Don’t fear red ink, and be ready to justify why you wrote the way you did if you want your ideas to stick.

Look for places where the pacing struggles.

Check for active language and strong verbs.

Look for places where you give too little and too much information.

Simplify.