Journalism Key Tips
Content
Journalism – Key Tips
Notes taken from The Guardian newspaper… 1) You've gathered the information, done the reporting. You've interviewed all the people involved, the eye witnesses to the explosion, the police, etc, etc. And now you have to write the story. You have pages in your notebook of facts, observations, and quotes. You may have some agency copy, some material from other media. The first thing to do is stop and think. 2) Do not start writing until you have a plan. Read through all your notes, marking the most important pieces of information and the quotes you want to use.
The information you have gathered will not have entered your notebook in order of importance. You need to decide what is more important, what is less important, to establish a hierarchy of pieces of
information. 3) Think about your target audience. Not necessarily what interests you most, but what will interest them. It may not be the same thing, and this is where knowing, having a feeling for, understanding your audience is so important. As you stare at the blank screen try to imagine the reader. 4) The target audience depends on the publication you are writing for, of course. You can assume more knowledge if you are writing for a specialist publication, or a specialist section of a newspaper. A cricket report or commentary can assume knowledge of the rules of cricket; an article for a motoring magazine can assume the reader knows what a supercar is. But some specialist publications set out to educate - computer magazines are a good example - and while interest can be assumed, knowledge of how to use specific pieces of software cannot. So
understand the intentions of the publication you write for, or if you are a freelance you seek to sell to. 5) Nobody is impressed by the use of a word they do not understand or would not use in everyday speech.
6) So the overriding message in journalistic writing is:
Keep It Simple!
The 5 W’s
Journalism students are taught about the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why.
They are a useful tool to check you have covered all the bases, though not all will always apply. It is always difficult to detach yourself from your own prose when you read it through, but try. Try to put yourself in the place of the reader coming cold to the story, interested in it and asking the questions that will make it clear. Have you dealt with them? Active not passive Always prefer the active tense in news writing, and particularly in intros. The active tense is faster and more immediate; it also uses fewer words. "Arsenal were beaten by Manchester United last night ... " is slower than "Manchester United beat Arsenal ... ", and if it is a London newspaper "Arsenal lost to Manchester United ... " is still preferable. Quotes Long quotes bring a story grinding to a halt, particularly if they are from politicians, particularly local politicians, bureaucrats or bores. Short, incisive, direct quotes change the pace of a story, add colour and character, illustrate bald facts, and introduce personal experience.
Music Journalism
There are two main types of feature article that appear in music magazines… 1) Overview of an artist/band and their career and music (most common)
2) An interview with the artist/band (with opening paragraph to set the scene.) This can be a ‘Q and A’ or just quotes.
Although the second option may seem easier – it isn’t! You have to create and push the personality/ personalities of many different people – very difficult to do well!
Remember the agenda of the journalist and the artist…
a) Agenda of the artist = to sell/promote themselves (their image) and their
music (new album/tour/gig at Glastonbury etc…)
b) Agenda of journalist = to get a good story (interesting, sensationalism,
controversy) and to write an article to appeal to their readership (target audience)
Things to not include in your music journalism! 1) No artist will sit and talk about what it means to be famous!
2) They do not want to be seen as an ordinary guy from Oswaldtwistle! They
want to project a ‘cool’ image (rebellious, wild etc…)
3) The readers of music magazines do not want to know what their favourite food is or their favourite brand of jeans!
4) If you use a real artist/band you can use artistic license if they haven’t got anything interesting to say – make it up!
5) Even if you use real artists – if they appear in your magazine they will be big well know artists – make it up!
READ MUSIC ARTICLES TO GET A FEEL FOR THE WRITING STYLE – ONLINE OR BUY MAGAZINES!
PUT YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLES ON YOUR BLOG.
Notes taken from The Guardian newspaper… 1) You've gathered the information, done the reporting. You've interviewed all the people involved, the eye witnesses to the explosion, the police, etc, etc. And now you have to write the story. You have pages in your notebook of facts, observations, and quotes. You may have some agency copy, some material from other media. The first thing to do is stop and think. 2) Do not start writing until you have a plan. Read through all your notes, marking the most important pieces of information and the quotes you want to use.
The information you have gathered will not have entered your notebook in order of importance. You need to decide what is more important, what is less important, to establish a hierarchy of pieces of
information. 3) Think about your target audience. Not necessarily what interests you most, but what will interest them. It may not be the same thing, and this is where knowing, having a feeling for, understanding your audience is so important. As you stare at the blank screen try to imagine the reader. 4) The target audience depends on the publication you are writing for, of course. You can assume more knowledge if you are writing for a specialist publication, or a specialist section of a newspaper. A cricket report or commentary can assume knowledge of the rules of cricket; an article for a motoring magazine can assume the reader knows what a supercar is. But some specialist publications set out to educate - computer magazines are a good example - and while interest can be assumed, knowledge of how to use specific pieces of software cannot. So
understand the intentions of the publication you write for, or if you are a freelance you seek to sell to. 5) Nobody is impressed by the use of a word they do not understand or would not use in everyday speech.
6) So the overriding message in journalistic writing is:
Keep It Simple!
The 5 W’s
Journalism students are taught about the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why.
They are a useful tool to check you have covered all the bases, though not all will always apply. It is always difficult to detach yourself from your own prose when you read it through, but try. Try to put yourself in the place of the reader coming cold to the story, interested in it and asking the questions that will make it clear. Have you dealt with them? Active not passive Always prefer the active tense in news writing, and particularly in intros. The active tense is faster and more immediate; it also uses fewer words. "Arsenal were beaten by Manchester United last night ... " is slower than "Manchester United beat Arsenal ... ", and if it is a London newspaper "Arsenal lost to Manchester United ... " is still preferable. Quotes Long quotes bring a story grinding to a halt, particularly if they are from politicians, particularly local politicians, bureaucrats or bores. Short, incisive, direct quotes change the pace of a story, add colour and character, illustrate bald facts, and introduce personal experience.
Music Journalism
There are two main types of feature article that appear in music magazines… 1) Overview of an artist/band and their career and music (most common)
2) An interview with the artist/band (with opening paragraph to set the scene.) This can be a ‘Q and A’ or just quotes.
Although the second option may seem easier – it isn’t! You have to create and push the personality/ personalities of many different people – very difficult to do well!
Remember the agenda of the journalist and the artist…
a) Agenda of the artist = to sell/promote themselves (their image) and their
music (new album/tour/gig at Glastonbury etc…)
b) Agenda of journalist = to get a good story (interesting, sensationalism,
controversy) and to write an article to appeal to their readership (target audience)
Things to not include in your music journalism! 1) No artist will sit and talk about what it means to be famous!
2) They do not want to be seen as an ordinary guy from Oswaldtwistle! They
want to project a ‘cool’ image (rebellious, wild etc…)
3) The readers of music magazines do not want to know what their favourite food is or their favourite brand of jeans!
4) If you use a real artist/band you can use artistic license if they haven’t got anything interesting to say – make it up!
5) Even if you use real artists – if they appear in your magazine they will be big well know artists – make it up!
READ MUSIC ARTICLES TO GET A FEEL FOR THE WRITING STYLE – ONLINE OR BUY MAGAZINES!
PUT YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLES ON YOUR BLOG.
