Writing For Newspapers

It helps if you have a talent for writing, but even if you are not a natural then you can still write to a a good enough standard. Often, even good writers who have been reporters for years could do with improving their writing.

Language in News Stories

As a reporter, you should use simple and straightforward language. You also need to get the balance right between being formal enough to sound authoritative but also using language that is lacking in stuffiness.

As a general rule you should not be using colloquial language or slang apart from in quotes. However, some newspapers do use terms like "cops" and "town hall chiefs" and you need to find out your newspaper's policy on these.

Even if you do not use slang, you need to make sure you are only using words that people use in everyday conversation. For example, never write "in addition to" because a person in the street would be unlikely to say this. Use "as well as" instead.

You also need to make sure you are concise. This means you should go through every story after you have written it to make sure there are no words that do not need to be there. As the maxim goes, if in doubt, take it out.

Sentences

Your sentences should be short and to the point but there should also be some variety to their length as this will make your story more enjoyable to read. But while there is nothing wrong with having a few longer sentences, never include a sentence that is so long that the reader is likely to have difficulty following it.

When you check your story, make sure every sentence is easy to understand and can only be read to mean one thing. "The most common mistake journalists make is to think that because they understand what they are writing, everyone else will too," according to Chris Walker, regional managing editor for Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales.

For example, I once wrote a story about a man accused of arson who had appeared in court. Because the intro was badly constructed, it sounded like the man was accused of burning down the court. Never assume that just because you know what you mean, the reader will as well.

Your writing should also be active rather than passive, as this makes articles more readable. This means that you should structure your sentence so that people are doing things rather than having things done to them, but if you need more information then the Online Writing Lab is worth a visit.

Paragraphs

Try to keep your paragraphs short. Generally, each one should only be a sentence or two in length and each paragraph should only be making one point.

This will help make your story easier for the reader to digest and having plenty of paragraphs will also make the text look less dense on the page.

Following the Style Book

Every newspaper should have its own style guide and it should be a reference tool reporters refer to on an almost-daily basis. Make sure you read it from cover to cover and aim to remember as much of it as possible.

This is important because if different reporters are following different rules (such as one article referring to "10" and another referring to "ten") then it makes the newspaper seem inconsistent and unprofessional. Also, the sub-editors will be likely to notice and appreciate your efforts to stick to it.

If your paper does not have a style guide then it should get one. Rather than writing a new one from scratch, you can access The Guardian's style guide online. You can use it as a starting point and add terms that are specific to your patch and change anything you do not like.

Keep on Learning

Do not assume you know it all just because you have been doing it for a couple of years. Writing copy that reads well and explains complicated arguments in a simple way is a real art and you can always get better at it.

As the newsdesk and sub-editors change your articles, ask them why they have made the changes so you can learn from them. "You will continue to grow as a writer over the years so always be prepared to listen," said Sam Holliday, editor of the Bath Chronicle.