Writing Tips

Tips on writing a good news report:

Put the most current and important information first. For example, three people are recovering in hospital after a major traffic collision in Toronto’s downtown core.

Engage and draw people into your story.

Establish what your story is about and provide information to support that story. Have a clear focus.

Think of yourself as a historian. Tell us the who, what, when, where and why of your story. Before you post it, ask yourself if you’ve answered these questions:

Who is involved. Who does this story affect?

What happened? Be specific, factual and balanced.

When did it occur? Use dates and times.

Where did your story take place? Use locations and landmarks.

Why is this story important? Why is it happening?

Report the facts. Your job is to inform other users about what happened. If you want to offer your opinion, put it in the Comments section.

Be balanced. Offer your readers both sides of your story. Who is supporting the issue at hand? Who is against it? Think of yourself as an objective, impartial bystander.

Be brief.

Spell-check your story before you post it. Other readers will thank you for it!