The basics of newswriting

When it comes to writing news, many reporters follow a structure known as the inverted pyramid. Think of a pyramid turned upside down -- it's wide at the top and gets more and more narrow as you make your way down to the point.

The inverted pyramid technique often helps the writer focus the story and ensures that the most important information goes at the beginning of the story and less important details go closer to the bottom.

The story starts with the lead or lede, an opening line that gives the readers a sense of what the story is all about. Then, in the body of the story, the reporter offers information and quotes that back up the opening line. And finally, there's the resolution, where the reporter sums up what has happened or look ahead to what's expected in the future.

Klaus Pohle, a professor of Journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa, offers some advice on developing the news story.

1. Lead/lede -- the opening sentence(s) which give

2. Back up -- information that supports what's in the lede

3. Nut graph -- the point of the story "in a nutshell"

4. Impact -- what this development means

5. Background -- what happened before today

6. Elaboration -- detail that explains how this issue evolved

7. Ending -- sums up what has happened or looks to the future

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