FIFTEEN WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING AND REPORTING

1)      Jot down a brief outline. Take two minutes to figure out the shape of your story: How to open, where to go next, then next and next … and how to end it.

2)      Give your story a label – a word, a few words or a sentence – that addresses the point or theme. Put it at the top of your screen to keep you on track. If someone hacked into a government computer system and stole the social insurance numbers of thousands of Canadians, maybe this is a story about “fear.” The fear of being vulnerable, the fear of easy access to personal information.

3)      Pay attention to your lead. It should set the theme and be specific – not vague or general. Make it the last thing you review before you hand in your story. Often trimming a word or adding a word can make it better.

4)      Quotes should be short. Often, one sentence is enough, two is fine, but three can be too many. Paraphrase basic and routine information.

5)      The nut graph is essential. It tells readers why you are writing the story and why they should care. It should appear early in the story – generally, the fourth paragraph.

6)      Transitions help sew your story and interviews together. They help the flow and rhythm of a story. They help take readers from one place to another, from one time to another. Work on tying your story together with smooth transitions.

7)      “Said” is a good word for attribution. Avoid using other attributive words incorrectly, such as claim and explain.

8)      Check and double-check every proper name (people, streets, companies, cities, etc.). Do this as you write or flag everything to check later as part of your own editing before handing in your story.

9)      Get business cards from contacts. They not only help you create a base of sources you might want to contact again, but they contain work numbers, cellphone numbers, e-mail addresses and even home numbers. What a treasure chest!

10)  Ask follow up questions always. Never leave a topic until you understand the information or have gathered enough details to write clearly and coherently,

11)  Ask the readers questions. Those you cover have an agenda. You don’t automatically ignore that agenda, but you need to show what impact it has on your readers. You can cover a story about federal civil servants on strike for higher wages, but you should also tell readers what impact the strike will have on their lives.

12)  Be skeptical. Don’t assume everything everyone tells you is right. Double check if you doubt the accuracy of information.

13)  Give yourself time to read a hard copy of your story before you hand it in. A hard copy makes it easier to catch obvious errors you miss on the screen.

14)  Ask people for examples of things they are telling you about. It helps readers understand and visualize your story.

15)  Make observation a regular part of your reporting. Write what you see in your notes. What you see as well as what people tell you is an important part of your reporting. It can often be more important and writers shouldn’t be afraid to use their observations prominently in their stories.

            (Don Gibb, Ryerson School of Journalism)