Intranet articles are trickier. I have to source out information whether from interviewing the staff involved or reading policies to filter out what is NEWS. Often, it can be one point from the whole 25 pages. Media releases are delegated from my colleagues so they usually tell me what they want and what it is for, effectively outlining that very important first sentence. It is certainly not the case for articles I have to take up from scratch! In fact, I took two whole hours to organise my interview notes and research, condense them logically to extract what is NEWS.
What has been drummed into me about media releases is that:
The VERB indicates the NEWS.
The verb in your first line and headline tells your readers the news. It will define your first line, and I am sure you all agree that it is the toughest to pen. In class, we are allowed to invent any details as long as they are relevant, thus we can potentially create our own news. Here, I have to learn to identify the NEWS, the angle and to be able to stand behind every single word I write. Professionalism demands attention to details, sensitivity to others' opinions, accuracy and the duty of care to myself and those involved.
Inverted pyramid and the 5WHs revisited like an old friend, and I was really glad to say that I have at the very least done that in class. First sentence should be succint, short and to the point. Headlines should be kept to 7 words maximum. Depending on your article, having a local angle will help 'sell' your media statement. Pictures are an integral part of a media release, and a good picture packs a punch to your words.
If you are stuck, as I have been a couple of times, here are a few tips:
-Ask yourself who you are writing it for, and what you want them to get out of it /what possible actions to take.
-Ask for a fresh look on it, because mulling over it for hours can blind you to the article.
-If none of it works....it time to walk away, do other stuff before coming back to tackle it again!
The first sentence is always the hardest, but not impossible to write!
Good luck with the internship guys, don't burnout!
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