With 24-hour news stations and instant information at their fingertips, citizens are bombarded with news that often comes at them in fast succession. They have short attention spans and may tune out if they encounter lengthy stories with long tangents.
A good way to keep readers engaged is to start your story with an interesting hook. This can be a dramatic anecdote, a surprising fact or something that will place the news in context. The Poytner Institute, a nonprofit that provides journalism training and information, suggests an approach called the inverted pyramid, which prioritizes the most important facts at the top of the article. This leads into a nut graph, which provides the background of the news and explains why it matters.
The next part of the story is a narrative, which provides a detailed, chronological account of events. The narrative is supported by transitional phrases, such as “according to police,” “witnesses say,” and “students and faculty agree.” This method allows you to present a comprehensive and compelling story that will engage your readers from beginning to end.
Another way to enhance your story is by incorporating infographics, which are charts and tables that help people understand statistics and data more quickly. You can also incorporate interviews with sources to give your story a personal touch. If you interview the subject of your story, avoid injecting your own opinion into the conversation. Instead, ask the person questions that allow them to share their own thoughts and opinions.
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