HARDNEWS
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THE BASIC FORMULA FOR HARD NEWS
• Using a simple “formula,“ hard news writing can be quick and easy — if you’ve taken good
notes!
• The Inverted Pyramid style dictates that news stories begin with the most important facts, and
work down step by step to the lesser facts.
LEAD PARAGRAPH
• Short paragraph. One or two sentences.
35 words maximum
• Contains the most important information.
• Must include the WHO and the WHAT
of the story. Can, and often does, include
the WHERE and the WHEN of the story.
• Uses Action Verbs
• Can include first reference to source
SECOND PARAGRAPH
• Backing Up The Lead — That means adding
details: putting a name where the lead
contained only a description, expanding
on the significance of the article by saying
why something is happening and so on.
• If first paragraph does not contain the
WHERE and the WHEN, then the second
• Could contain the WHY and the HOW of the
story, if those two are known.
WHO
WHAT
Must be in the
lead paragraph
WHEN
WHERE
Can either be in the lead
paragraph or the second
WHY
HOW
Sometimes those are known
and should be near the top
PROPER
QUOTES
“I always use the most
important quote I have in the
third paragraph of my news
articles,” reporter Tom Hanks
said.
THIRD PARAGRAPH
• Direct quote from your most important source
• All news articles are written in the Inverted
Pyramid style and, likewise, when you quote a
person use their most important quote at the
top of the story. If you quote more than one
person, use the most important person — and
their best quote — first.
SOURCES
• First paragraph could cite
information coming from Stony
CITING
Point’s principal.
• Second reference, such as the
SOURCES direct quote in the third
paragraph, would read: Stony
Point Principal Albert Hernandez
FOR MORE ON WRITING HARD NEWS ARTICLES, CHECK OUT:
said.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/specials/weblines/index.html
• The first time you make reference to your
source, you can — if you choose — make a
general reference. Some reporters use that
technique in their lead paragraph. Then in the
second or third paragraph, they use the full
name and title of their source.