serious information.
It can use language more
FEATURE WRITING
Features are articles written in greater depth and
with more incidental detail than straightforward
news stories or news analysis. They combine
facts and information with human interest and
‘color’: in other words, they are more
personalized, more descriptive, and allow the
writer to indulge in more lyrical writing and
personal comment. Their purpose is to attract the
reader’s attention to a story through human
interest and local color without detracting from
the importance of the story itself.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FEATURE
The defining characteristics of a feature article
are purpose, tone, content and structure.
What distinguishes features from straight news?
Straight news deals with facts and is topical – ie:
it deals with new events. Features do not simply
convey the facts, they are meant to educate,
enlighten and entertain the reader. What is the
main purpose of the feature?
It is:
a) to attract the reader’s attention by
entertaining, amusing, moving him/her
b) to put the characters in the story – the human
interest – at the heart of the story
While it is essential to hold the reader’s
attention, this in no way implies that the feature
is a light-hearted or trivial exercise. The aim is
to convey serious information in an engaging
and emotive manner.
The focus of the feature is people. Since people
like reading about people and can identify with
their situation, stories with a human angle sell
well. The more striking examples and images
you create at the start of your story and continue
throughout, the more successful your story is
likely to be.
The tone of a feature can be lighter than the
news story. It may appear chatty, humorous,
conversational, but all the time, it is conveying
expressively to create the effect it is striving for.
The content of the feature article distinguishes it
from news reporting. Features always deal with
topics that are currently of concern to society but
are not necessarily news-driven. Features are
better placed to explore the wider background
and consequences of a news story then news
analysis is.
Features do not demand a news peg. They often
explore issues of long-term interest to society
unrelated to a specific, topical event. Common
subjects for features are health, environment and
social problems, as well as human rights issues.
A typical and important characteristic of the
feature is that it can humanise and make
understandable major complex issues of our
times.
COMPOSITION OF THE FEATURE
The purpose and content of a feature means that
its structure is different from news and news
analysis. Features use an inverted pyramid
principle, same as news analysis, with lead,
body and conclusion, but this structure takes on
a different character in the course of the feature:
a) Feature lead is anecdotal and colorful. It sets
the atmosphere of the piece. The first few
sentences are there to introduce a scene, a mood,
a person. This descriptive and emotive image
acts as a powerful hook to catch the reader’s
attention and encourage him/her to read on. The
human interest at the beginning of the story
attaches the reader’s interest immediately and
creates the desire to find out more. The path
introduced in lead should be followed
throughout the text.
b) Significance of the story is provided in what
is called the "nut paragraph", as it explains why
the story is being written. This is a vital
paragraph in every feature. It should be high in
the story. Do not make the reader wait until the
10th paragraph before telling them what the g) Maintain good paragraphing: every new
story is about. paragraph should introduce a new point or a new
topic. But try to maintain a link between
c) The body provides more vital information,
paragraphs; keep the transition from one
while it educates, entertains and ties the reader
paragraph to the next smooth: abrupt jumps
to the story. This is the largest part of your story,
between ideas will make your story hard to
starting from the fifth paragraph to the ending. It
follow – and you may lose your reader
is more open-form then the body of a news story
or news analysis. Your vital background h) Keep the story moving forward at a good
information, quotes, and case studies will go pace. This does not mean you cannot spend time
here. The body of the text must substantiate the on description or dialogue, but maintain a
claims that you made at the start, using facts, momentum and direction
quotes and reliable sources. Successful features
i) Try to use link words, such as "however",
have a mix of imagery and factual information,
"moreover", "it was then that…" "soon after..."
zigzagging back and forth from color to facts
These are called "transitional words". They are
throughout the piece. Remember to include
important in long features, as they are a tool that
"expert voices" here as well as the character/s
writers use to subtly move from one person or
you have introduced at the start. They add an
topic to the next.
element of impartiality.
j) Use dialogue and quotes to keep the story
d) Feature not only begins with color it also ends
moving. Good quotes give the readers strong
with color: the ending wraps up the story.
mental images and keep them attached to the
Concluding paragraph aims to leave a lasting
story. On the other hand, beware of using quotes
image in the reader’s mind – a vivid verbal
when reported speech would do just as well.
picture of a place or a person. Often it comes
back to the lead with a quotation. An alternative k) Avoid repetition and don’t bore your reader.
is a twist, involving a surprise, or jolt. If you need to return to a point or stress a
particular angle in the story, use a different
KEY POINTS FOR WRITING A GOOD
anecdote, quote a different person
FEATURE
l) Leave a lasting image in your reader’s mind: a
a) Grab the attention of the reader immediately;
concluding paragraph should always round off
involve him/her emotionally
the feature by coming full circle to the opening
b) Use vivid detail and interesting color to paragraph. Make it memorable with a quotation,
convey background information on your subject a scene that is as vivid as the start of your
that is not normally available in news pieces; feature
convey even the driest data in an interesting way
c) Choose a topic of general interest or concern
d) Keep the attention of the reader throughout
the article; create mystery – intrigue the reader
by offering details or clues that you will
elaborate later e) Use lively language and plenty
of detail to describe scenes and people
f) Use “writers voice” - it is the signature, or
style, of the writer. It can be used to project
color, tone and subtle commentary into the story.

NEWS WRITING
The ABCs of news writing are Accuracy,
Brevity and Clarity. The first and most
important is accuracy -- a story can be creative
and compelling, but if it contains errors, it is
worthless.
Always check numbers, spellings of names, who
said what, and the other basic facts of any story.
A reporter's job is to find out what is going on,
then write a story that's interesting and
informative. Accuracy always comes first,
Second is brevity. Each word in your story
should do a job. If not, take it out. Get to the
point. Say it just once. Don't be redundant. Don't
say "8 a.m. in the morning," since 8 a.m. is in
the morning. Just say 8 a.m. Or say 8 in the
morning.
Remember the inverted pyramid style of writing.
Put the most important fact in the lead. Hook the
reader's attention. Explain the lead and then go
on to the next most important fact in the second
inverted pyramid. And then the next. Lead up to
an interesting finish.
Clarity starts before you write. Clarity starts
with complete, competent reporting. You should
understand your subject so completely that your
story leaves it crystal-clear in the reader's mind.
Your story should leave no questions
unanswered. Avoid jargon. Explain anything
that wouldn't be obvious to the average person.
The more information you gather, the more you
have to sift through to determine what belongs
in the lead. The more you know, the harder it is
to tell it quick and make it simple. It's only easy
if you don't know what you're talking about. No
one said good reporting is easy.
THE FIVE 'W's'
Every news story must cover the "Five W's:"
Who, What, When, Where, Why and sometimes
How and So What? You don't have to cover all
these in the lead, obviously, but usually you will
address one or two in the first graph. The rest
should come soon. Make sure they are all
covered somewhere in your story.
NEWS VALUES
What is news? The cliché is, when dog bites
man, it's not news. When man bites dog, that's
news. Critics say, why is the newspaper always
full of bad news? Because bad news is unusual,
and no one wants to read about ordinary events.
"The Monitor adviser arrived on campus this
morning and found things much as he left them
the night before." Who cares? If the adviser
finds a mountain lion waiting for the elevator in
Building 5, then there's a story. With photos.
News usually has at least one of these elements:
• Impact. Impact is determined by the number
of people affected, the number of boats that
sink, the number of cars wrecked, etc. The
more people affected, the more boats sunk,
the bigger the impact of the story.
• Proximity. The closer your audience is to the
event, the greater its news value. If a train
hits a bus in Bangladesh, it may receive three
column inches behind the sports section. If a
train hits a bus on Niles Canyon Road, the
Argus will play it on page one.
• Timeliness. "New" is a big part of news. If it
happened just before deadline, it's bigger
news than if it happened last week. Even
"big" stories last only a week or so. News,
like fish, is better fresh.
• Prominence. If it happens to the mayor, it is
bigger news than if it happens to the Monitor
adviser. The public cares more about
celebrities than they do about people they
don't know. If President Clinton goes
jogging, reporters take pictures. If the
Monitor adviser goes jogging, dogs bark, but
no one else notices. (This is fine with the
adviser.)
• Novelty. If an event is unusual, bizarre, the
first, the last, or once-in-a-lifetime, it is has
more news value than if it is something that
happens all the time. • Conflict. War, politics
and crime are the most common news events
 of all. If everyone got along, there wouldn't
be much news.
• Relevance. How does the story affect the
reader? If there's no effect at all, maybe
there's no news.
• Usefulness. How can I use this information?
Home, business and leisure news sections
have sprouted in newspapers in an attempt to
give readers news they can really use.
• Human interest. A story may be weak on the
other news values, but be interesting anyway.
It can be as simple as an interview with a
fascinating person who does unusual things.
If people are talking about it, it's news, even
if it doesn't meet the criteria of our other
news values.
THE LEAD
The lead is usually the toughest part of writing a
story. The lead is the first word, sentence or
paragraph of the story. Sometimes it can be two
or three paragraphs.
Whatever its length, the lead has several
important jobs to do. First, it must interest the
reader in the rest of the story. Imagine the reader
as impatient, with lots of other things he or she
could be doing instead of reading your story.
Imagine the reader saying, "Get to the POINT!
Don't waste my time! Tell me the STORY!"
Your job is to write a short, punchy, informative
lead to attract readers who have grown
accustomed to TV's "sound bite" journalism. But
then you must supply the details, the insights,
the context that TV doesn't have time for.
WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR A GOOD
LEAD?
• Keep it short and simple. News writing is
always tight, but the lead calls for special
care. Condense your story into one sentence,
then one phrase, then one word. Make sure
that word is near the beginning of the lead.
As a general rule, no lead sentence should be
longer than 10 words.
• Get to the point. What is the story about?
Tell the reader in the lead. Don't say, "The
city council met last night." Tell the reader
what the city council did. "Business taxes
were raised a whopping 30 percent on a 6-1
vote of the city council last night." What's
the story about? Taxes. So get taxes in the
lead.
• Focus on the action. Use the "active voice."
Instead of saying something happened, say
who did what to who. Use the action word.
If nobody did anything, it may not be a news
story.
• Hook the reader. Put the most important, the
most interesting, the most exciting thing in
the lead. A novel may take 100 pages to lead
up to the climax of the story; a news story
puts the climax first and then explains what
led up to it.
These rules are sometimes thrown out for feature
leads, or "anecdotal leads" that start with a little
story that sets the scene for the point you are
trying to make. But the lean, punchy news lead
will work best on most stories.
THE NUT GRAPH
Every story needs a "nut graph" that answers the
question: Why am I writing this, and why do I
think the reader should read it? The best way to
make sure your story has a point is to state it,
simply, somewhere near the top of the story. It
doesn't have to say, "The point of this story is..."
But if the story is about a budget shortfall, a
good nut graph might quote a district official on
whether the shortfall would force an increase in
tuition. How does the story affect the reader?
That's what should be in the nut graph. If it
doesn't affect the reader, maybe it shouldn't be a
news story.
QUOTES
Quotes bring a story to life. Let your sources tell
the story. The reporter's voice in the story should
outline the main points and set the stage for the
quotes. Quotes let your sources "talk" to the
reader, giving a personal impact that you can't
get any other way in print.
But quotes should be special. Don't use quotes use a graph of transition between the two quotes.
for information that can be more clearly For instance:
explained in your own words.
Meanwhile, another city councilman had
Only direct quotes are contained inside of opposite views. "I think the planned
quotation marks. Information inside quotation development stinks," said Councilman Joe
marks must be the source's exact words. But Smith.
another step is needed to achieve accuracy: The
If you end one quote and start another without
words inside the quotation marks must also
tipping off the reader, confusion will result.
convey the intent of the speaker. To use the
Remember, you may accurately report what a
speaker's exact words to say something he or she
person said, but that person may be wrong.
did not mean is to take the quote out of context.
Verify any questionable statement by calling
It is a serious complaint often made by sources.
other sources. It's not enough to say later, "But
At the end of the interview, always check quotes
that's what he said."
that you intend to use, and if you are unsure
what the speaker meant, ask. Keep in mind that your goal is to inform your
readers. Never rely on only one source. If you
The proper form for using a direct quote is: "I
find that one of your sources doesn't have the
won't run for president," Dan Quayle said
information you need, switch sources.
Thursday. "But I may walk a little."
TRANSITIONS
Notice that punctuation is inside the quote
marks. The quote is attributed after the first Each paragraph in your story should flow
sentence. naturally from the one before it. If you have
gathered enough information, and if your lead is
Try to minimize the use of partial quotes: When
strong enough, you may find that your story
asked about his presidential plans, Quayle
seems to "write itself," flowing naturally from
said he "won't run."
beginning to end.
The first example, using the full quote, is both
But other stories seem "choppy," with the
more interesting and more accurate. The partial
narrative taking jags and loops that could lose or
quote leaves a false impression.
confuse the reader.
Indirect quotes don't have to use the speaker's
Transitions smooth out those jags and make the
exact words, but they must convey what the
story easier to read. Here are some guidelines:
speaker meant. For example:
• Make sure your story elements are presented in
Brett Favre Thursday denied reports that he
a logical order. The most common order is the
would retire from football at the end of the
chronological order. This happened, then this
season, but he said he is feeling his age.
happened, then this happened. For the sake of
Indirect quotes can be used to introduce direct variety, you want to use the word "then" no
quotes. For instance, the next sentence in the more than once.
Favre story could be:
• Use introductions as transitions between
"I feel every tackle of my career when I wake speakers. For example:
up in the morning," he said.
Ed Smith, professor of biology at Ohlone,
Make sure that the reader knows who is talking. disagrees with the idea that frozen yogurt
If you've quoted one person for several causes split ends.
paragraphs, and then plan to quote someone else,
"That's the craziest idea I've ever heard," he
said.
• Set the scene for a new area of discussion.
Don't just start in a new direction without
notifying the reader. For example:
Meanwhile, a group of Ohlone instructors
have been developing another theory, one
based on experiments with bananas.
"We think we're on to something," said
Professor Harold Foote.
ENDINGS
A good ending gives a "rounded out" feeling to a
story, especially if the end makes reference to
information in the lead. For instance, in a story
by a Monitor staff member about a young man
trying to quit gang crime and turn his life
around, the ending was:
Valle gave a convincing "yes" when asked if
he is going to graduate from college.
This means that he will have to see his mother
cry again, although this time he will see her
from a stage while he is wearing a cap and
gown, holding a diploma in his hand.
The lead had talked about how his mother cried
when he received a scholarship to attend college,
shortly after he had been released from jail. The
ending made a smooth reference to the lead,
tying the story together.
OTHER STUFF
Avoid one-source stories. Talk to as many
people as possible in the time you have for
reporting. Make sure you leave enough time for
the writing portion of the story. How do you
know when you've done "enough" reporting,
talked to enough sources, read enough reports?
Experience will teach you the answer, and it will
be a lot more than you thought at the beginning.
The news reporter's job has three parts:
Reporting, writing and meeting deadlines. All
three are important, but news reporting couldn't
exist without deadlines. The deadline is your
discipline. Learn to meet deadlines, learn how to
gather information, and the writing style will
come eventually.
There is a broad, clear distinction between
news writing and advertising. Use your normal
objectivity and fairness when writing about
advertisers, even if they push you for a
"positive" story, and threaten to pull their
advertising if they don't get it. Our focus is on
the reader. Our job is to write truthful, fair
stories, and sensible advertisers will respect that.
Make sense out of numbers. A number is
meaningless without a comparison. If enrollment
grew 5 percent this fall, how does that compare
to last fall? How does it compare to the average
fall semester?
HOW TO WRITE A NEWS LEAD
1. Condense story into one or two words. Put
those words as close to the beginning of the
first sentence as possible without
destroying the flow of the lead sentence.
2. Keep leads short — 20 to 30 words for the
first sentence. Or fewer.
3. The news lead should tell the reader what
the story is about and be interesting enough
to draw the reader into the rest of the story.
Remember that the readers won’t know
what the story is about until you tell them.
4. Find the action in the story. Put the action
in the lead.
5. Always double-check names and numbers.
Check spelling, style and grammar. Put
everything in order.
6. Attribute opinions. Stick with the facts.
7. Details, description. Report first, then
write. Learn all, tell 10 percent.
8. Decide which of the news values best
applies to the lead of the story. Write a lead
that emphasizes that news value.
9. Write in the active voice.
10. Don’t lead with a name, time or place
unless that is the most interesting/important
thing in the story.
WHAT NOT TO DO IN LEADS
1. Don't make the lead too complicated. Don't
load it down with too many names, figures
or details. Keep the lead sentence short --
never more than 35 words.
2. Don't begin with the time, day or date, or
place. Better to focus on the action, the who
or what.
3. Don't begin with an empty, say-nothing
expression or a generality that fails to
distinguish this news from other news:
There were... In a report released today...
According to...
4. Don't begin with a question if the question
is answered in the story. Question leads are
cliché leads.
5. Don't begin with a direct quote if it is a full
sentence. Don't start with a quote unless it
is an exceptional quote.
6. Don't use a form of the verb to be in the
lead, if you can avoid it. Use an action
verb.
7. Don't overstate the news in the lead,
making it more dramatic than it really is.
Watch "disaster" words.
the room too hot? Could you smell the
cooking outside on the walkway? Did the
person speak slowly and carefully, or
rapidly, with confidence?
6. Using analogies. Describe it as being “like”
or “as” something that is familiar to
readers.
ACTIVE VOICE, PASSIVE VOICE
Voice is that inflection of a verb that shows
whether its subject is the doer of the action
indicated or is acted upon.
If the subject performs the action, the verb is in
the active voice. If the subject is acted upon, the
verb is in the passive voice.
Active voice is dynamic. Passive voice is static.
Active voice is vigorous and emphasizes the
actor. Passive voice is evasive about naming the
actor.
News writing should almost always be in the
active voice because news is about action and
actors.

ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING To test for the active voice, find the subject and
verb in the sentence. Put the subject before the
1. Precision. Use the right word. Say exactly verb so that the subject takes action: Jill hit the
what you mean. Be specific. Avoid sexism ball, not: The ball was hit by Jill.
in your writing. Use generic terms:
firefighters instead of firemen, letter
carriers instead of mailmen.
2. Clarity. Use simple sentences. Noun, verb.
Think clearly, then write. Watch grammar
and punctuation.
3. Pacing. Movement of sentences create a
tone, mood for the story. Long sentences
convey relaxed, slow mood. Short
declarative sentences convey action,
tension, movement. Use variety of sentence
lengths. Use shorter sentences when writing
about the more active, tense part of the
story.
4. Transitions. Progress logically from point
to point. Put everything in order.
5. Sensory appeal. Appeal to one or more of
our five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste
and touch. What does it sound like? Was

EDITORIAL WRITING
An editorial is an article written by or under the
direction of the editor of a newspaper or
magazine, or a statement broadcast on radio or
television.
Editorials give opinions on important social,
political, economic, or legal issues of the day
and intend to persuade readers to agree to a
particular point of view.
Editorials reflect the views of the owners,
managers or board of directors of media
companies. Editorials of major papers are often
viewed by readers in terms of their positioning
as right (conservative), center (liberal), or left
(socialist) on the political spectrum.
Furthermore, editorials usually do not shy from
controversy, in the hope of not only presenting
the issues to the reading public, but also of
drawing response from the public and attracting
new readership in the competitive marketplace.
Editorial Structure
An editorial is similar to an essay in that it
focuses on a specific issue or topic, offers a
thesis, and provides evidence and supporting
arguments to convince its readers. The title
clearly identifies the topic; the introductory
statement includes the writer’s view on the
issue; the body provides supporting evidence
and examples; and the conclusion restates the
writer’s view and provides a final appeal for the
reader to agree to that view.
Planning the Editorial:
• Decide what issue you will write about and
clearly define the issue.
• Consider who your intended audience will be
(for example, it may be the general
readership, or it may be directed at those who
hold a particular view that may or may not
already have been expressed in the media or
other public forum).
• Brainstorm a variety of strategies you can use
to gain reader support for your view on the
issue. These might include acknowledgement
of the reader’s current viewpoint, listing
benefits of the view you are promoting,
providing reliable evidence, and using of
sound reasoning.
• Develop logical and ethical arguments; avoid
purely emotional rhetoric.
• Conduct necessary research both to gather
information about the audience you are
writing for, and to collect evidence,
examples, and support for the view you are
promoting.
• Develop an outline to follow before you
begin writing.
Writing the Editorial
• Follow the pattern and style of editorial
writing.
• In most editorials, the opinion of the writer is
given near the beginning, followed by
supporting evidence and reasoning (direct
approach).
• The first-person plural voice (we, our) is
most common in editorial writing and is
appropriate in establishing the credibility of
the writer.
• Editorials should be short, precise, and well
organized.
• Develop a strong introductory statement to
capture the reader’s attention and to state
your opinion. Use a logical sequence for
presenting your arguments, and an effective
conclusion to maximize the impact on the
reader.
To sum up, a good editorial is either one or more
of the following: it is an opinion maker, it is
reconciliatory between contrary viewpoints or
standpoints, it is balanced in its analysis of
evidence and events, and it is, manifest or
otherwise, crusading in its thrust.
A good editorial should express an opinion
without being opinionated. It should teach
without being pedagogic. It should transform
without being evangelical. It should engulf
without drowning. It should motivate to action
without making you dictatorial. It should
enlighten without getting you dogmatic,
prejudiced and egotistical.

The last, and probably most important, a good

editorial should be brief.
An article about a good editorial should also, if
possible, be brief.

SPORTS WRITING
Write in Plain Language
Plain language is “clear, concise and correct”
communication. It avoids jargon and delivers its
message simply but effectively so that the reader
gets the message as quickly as possible.
Here are some simple ways to make your
writing meet plain language standards:
• Use headings, short sections and short
sentences to make your writing easy to
digest.
• Use active voice whenever possible.
(Example: “Bob walked the dog” not “The
dog was walked by Bob.”)
• Edit each sentence to get rid of excess words.
Sometimes it helps to set a goal of cutting 25
or 50 words or staying under a certain word
count.
• Use precise, specific language. Concrete
words are better than abstract ones. For
example, say “Jane has a 41% shooting
percentage” instead of “Jane is a great
shooter.”
• Get rid of jargon. In some sports this is
unavoidable, so if you must use jargon try to
convey its meaning through the context.
• Use bullet points to highlight information.
• Get rid of sports clichés. Try reading your
piece out loud. If you stumble over a sentence
or find yourself out of breath at the end of a
paragraph, some editing is likely needed.
ELEMENTS OF SPORTS WRITING
Sports writing typically covers basic
information, such as:  FEATURE GAME STORY
• highlights of the game
• the names of the teams involved
• the type of sport
• score or final outcome
• when and where the game was played
But in order to write a good sports article,
remember to focus on what an athlete does.
Because sports revolve around the drama of
competition, spotlighting a single person gives
your story a human side that your readers can
relate to. 
TYPES OF SPORTS STORIES
STRAIGHT-LEAD GAME STORY
The most basic form of all sports writing, the
straight-lead game story is an article using a
straight-news format. The article summarizes the
main points of a game: which team won or lost,
the final score, and what a star player did. 
A straight-lead might look something like this:
Second-string quarterback Robert Jameson
threw the game-winning touchdown with
just 10 seconds left to lead the Mountain
View High School Bears to a 21-14 victory
over the Canyon del Oro High School
Captains Saturday night.
After that, the story follows by giving an
account of big plays, players who contributed
tremendously to the final outcome, and after-
game insights, quoting both players and
coaches. 
Many high school and college sports use the
straight-lead game story, but sports writers for
professional sports events have veered away
from this format.
The reason is that TV already shows the entire
game and fans usually know the scores and
highlights before the article makes it to
publication.
 
The feature game story is a favorite tool for
professional sports writers because it gives fans
and readers a different angle from the highlights
they have seen on TV.  are published while the coaches and their teams
Here’s an example of an actual sports feature
lead involving the Queensland Reds and their
rugby coach, Tevita Koloi: 
It’s the start of yet another season. The
quiet of the night contrasts with the
vibrant group gathered in the upper
room of their local church, fervently
praying. As the clock ticks closer towards
midnight, the spiritual coach of the
state’s professional rugby team receives
an impression from God – “the last
placed team he is mentoring will win the
entire league this very year.” 
It is a bold revelation, and he grapples
with what to do with this.
After opening with this unique angle, the writer
proceeds to describe the prominent rugby
coach’s background, as well as what was going
on at the time, he had this unusual experience. 
And, as is common trait of feature game stories,
he only gets to the scores near the end of the
article—which is fine because readers are not
looking to read about the score, which they
already know.
Instead, the story gives them a different
perspective of the game and the people involved.
PROFILES
Whereas a feature game story spotlights a game,
a profile features an individual character. This
person might be a rookie athlete rising in the
ranks, or perhaps an influential coach.  person. Think of a scene that best describes the
SEASON PREVIEW AND WRAP-UP STORIES
Every sportswriter needs season previews and
wrap-up stories in their collection. These stories
are preparing for the upcoming season, or after
the season has ended—whether in victory or in
defeat. 
These stories take a bird’s eye view of the
season: they normally share the expectations that
coaches and players have, or how they feel at the
end of a season. 
COLUMNS 
A sports writing column is the place where a
sportswriter shares opinion. Sometimes these
columns may include venting when a team,
player, or coach doesn’t meet expectations.
Other times, they may write about what they
admire in a team, player or coach. 
A favorite subject is a coach who is able to
direct a weak team to an unexpected
championship, or perhaps an underdog player
who demonstrates unusual determination and
teamwork. 
WRITING A GOOD SPORTS LEAD
A lead is the introductory section of a news
story, intended to hook the reader into reading
the full story.
To write a good sports lead, first pick which of
the 5 types of sports stories you would like to
write. The type of story you choose will
determine the lead you write. 
If you opt for a straight-news story, pick a
highlight from the game you are writing about
and focus on that in your first paragraph. 
If you choose a feature or profile, pick
something that stands out about the team or
characteristic you want to highlight. Do you
describe a practice session? A game huddles? Or
an after-game interview? 
For a season preview or wrap-up story, pick a
sport you love and describe a broad perspective
of an upcoming season or the season that just
wrapped up, beginning with the best teams. 

For or an opinion column, find one angle that

you would like to express your opinion on and
that you feel passionate about.
 may also serve as a turning point into a
COLUMN WRITING deeper level of argument.
An op-ed piece derives its name from originally OPENINGS
having appeared opposite the editorial page in a
newspaper. Today, the term is used more widely The first line of an op-ed is crucial. The opening
to represent a column that represents the strong, “hook” may grab the reader’s attention with a
informed, and focused opinion of the writer on strong claim, a surprising fact, a metaphor, a
an issue of relevance to a targeted audience. mystery, or a counter-intuitive observation that
entices the reader into reading more. The
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS opening also briefly lays the foundation for your
OF AN OP-ED OR COLUMN argument.
Partly, a column is defined by where it appears, ENDINGS
but it shares some common characteristics:
Every good column or op-ed piece needs a
• Typically, it is short, between 750 and 800 strong ending which has some basic
words. requirements. It:
• It has a clearly defined point.
• It has a clearly defined point of view. • Echoes or answers introduction
• It represents clarity of thinking.
• Has been foreshadowed by preceding thematic
• It contains the strong, unique voice of the
statements
writer
• Is the last and often most memorable detail
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN
WRITING AN OP-ED OR COLUMN • Contains a final epiphany or calls the reader to
action
• Do I have a clear point to make?
• What is it? There are two basic types of endings. An “open
• Who cares? (Writing with a particular ending” suggests rather than states a conclusion,
audience in mind can inform how you while a “closed ending” states rather than
execute your column. Who is it that you are suggests a conclusion.
trying to convince? Why are you targeting
that specific reader?) The closed ending in which the point of the
• Is there substance to my argument? piece is resolved is by far the most commonly
used.
TOPIC AND THEME
Every successful op-ed piece or column must
have a clearly defined topic and theme.
• Topic: the person, place, issue, incident, or
thing that is the primary focus of the column.
The topic is usually stated in the first
paragraph.
• Theme: another level of meaning to the topic.
What’s the big, overarching idea of the
column? What’s your point? Why is your
point important? The theme may appear early
in the piece or it may appear later when it
VOICE
Having a strong voice is critical to a successful
column or op-ed piece. Columns are most
typically conversational in tone, so you can
imagine yourself have a conversation with your
reader as you write (a short, focused
conversation). But the range of voice used in
columns can be wide: contemplative,
conversational, descriptive, experienced,
informative, informed, introspective, observant,
plaintive, reportorial, self-effacing,
sophisticated, humorous, among many other
possibilities.
Sometimes what voice you use is driven by the
publication for which you are writing. A good
method of perfecting your voice is to get in the
habit of reading your column or op-ed out loud.
Doing so gives you a clear sense of how your
piece might sound – what your voice may come
off as – to your intended reader.

REVISION CHECKLIST
Some things to remember as you revise your op-
ed or column before you submit it for
publication:
• Check clarity.
• Check coherence and unity.
• Check simplicity.
• Check voice and tone. (Most are
conversational; some require an authoritative
voice.)
• Check direct quotations and paraphrasing for
accuracy.
• Check to make sure you properly credit all
sources though formal citations are not
necessary.)
• Check the consistency of your opinion
throughout your op-ed or column.