A pyramid has a broad base and tapers towards its top; the news story is just the opposite, with a broad top and tapering towards the base. It is therefore called an inverted (or upside-down) pyramid. This “shape” of the news story, with a “broad” top and a “narrow” base, is in the weight of the news itself.

News structure

1. First paragraph. In your first one or two sentences tell who, what, when, where, and why. Try to hook the reader by beginning with a funny, clever, or surprising statement.
2. Second/Third/Fourth paragraphs. Give the reader the details. Include one or two quotes from people you interviewed.
3. Last paragraph.

How to Write a News Story in 15 Steps

1. Select a newsworthy story.
2. Think about your goals and objectives in writing the story.
3. Find out who can provide the most accurate information about the subject and how to contact that person.
4. Do your homework.
5. Prepare a list of questions to ask about the story.

The inverted pyramid structure is the most commonly used structure for news writing. The inverted pyramid presents the most important information in a news story first, followed in descending order by less-important information. This structure works well for two reasons.

The hourglass structure is a combination of inverted pyramid and narrative structures. The story then abruptly “turns”, requiring a clear transition, to focus on a narrative, such as the story of a specific eyewitness or party, which addresses finer details and implications, before making its final conclusion.

The hourglass structure is one such device. A story shape that journalists can employ when they have news to report and a story to tell.

News articles are written in a structure known as the “inverted pyramid.” In the inverted pyramid format, the most newsworthy information goes at the beginning of the story and the least newsworthy information goes at the end.

How to Analyze a News Article

1. Check the headline of the news article and include it in your thesis.
2. Focus on structure, voice of the article, tone, and rhetoric.
3. Examine the structure of the news report to see how much of a personal opinion is included.

The hourglass form summarizes the news, then shifts to a narrative. The top delivers the news, the turn acts as a transition, the narrative tells the story. The hourglass can be used in all kinds of stories: crime, business, government, even to report meetings.

The single-feature story– A single-feature or one-incident story such as an account of a speech, an interview, of an election, deals with an isolated event. In writing a news-feature story with this kind of structure, include the one-feature in the lead. Add in the body details which clarify and explain the lead.

Rule #1: A straight news lead should be a single paragraph consisting of a single sentence, should contain no more than 30 words, and should summarize, at minimum, the most newsworthy “what,” “where” and “when” of the story.

The primary difference between a feature story and a straight news story is the style. A feature article is more in-depth than a traditional hard news article and uses the types of storytelling devices and details that you might find in novels. Feature stories are considered soft news and do not focus merely on the basic facts.

Straight news/Hard news. Stories that report only the most essential information in a concise and impartial manner are referred to as straight or hard news stories. This type of story typically follows the inverted pyramid style, which organizes information by descending order of importance or places the most newsworthy information at…