Writing Tips

Writing Tips:

1. Plan:

Brainstorm! Look at other stories in yearbooks get an idea of what makes a good article.    Then figure out your angle. 

2. Central idea:

Make sure that everything in your story ties in and has a single focus. 

For example, if you are focusing on the volleyball team, what are you going to focus on?  Are they a new team?  Did they make improvements?   You can’t write every detail, so find a focus.

3. Interviews:

Conducting an interview to add supporting material to your story is a good choice.  An interview can make the story/feature feel more engaging and personal.  A variety of sources can also give your story more credibility.  These make great details.

4.     Reviewing research/ interviews:

After researching or interviews review the information and connect ideas.  Don’t put in information if it does not fit.

5.  Sensory:

While at the event, you’re not just there to take photos.  You’re also there to record or remember the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes you encounter.  Be sure to take notes on crucial imagery that can enhance your story so that you don’t have to rely on memory.

6. Tell a Story:

Don’t only tell facts make an image with words.

7. Be Catchy:

The lead is the first sentence of the story, sets the tone, and gets the readers’ attention. Grabbing the attention is key, especially in the yearbook, because so many people only tend to look at the pictures.  Include the 5 W’s and H of journalistic writing (who, what, when, where, how and why).

8. Development:

Make sure that you connect your main idea and details.  Ensure that someone who was not there can understand and the meaning is conveyed thoroughly.

9. Organization:

Use sequential order of events.  To help you with this use transitions. 

10. Editing:

Edit 24 hours after you have written something.

More writing guidelines

·       Watch your verb tense, make sure that you write in the same tense all through you’re your story.  (For most of this it should be in past tense).

·       Use active voice.

·       Use action verbs.

·       Keep your sentences and paragraphs short.

·       Name an unexpected outcome from the event.

·       Incorporate interesting and descriptive quotes.