Top stories are stories that cover a variety of topics, from breaking news to human interest tales. They reflect the diverse ways journalists inform and engage readers.
A good story begins with the most important information first. This is called the inverted pyramid style because the most crucial information is stacked at the top, with less important information moving down as you read, like an upside-down triangle. This format is a great way to get your audience up to speed quickly.
Once you have a clear understanding of what’s most important to know, start interviewing your sources. Be sure to take notes as you talk, and consider calling back a second source to ask follow-up questions.
Once you have all of your key facts gathered, put them together in a lead that answers the five Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Once you have this in place, you can begin writing the nut paragraph (or graf), an overview of the story that justifies why readers should care. This is also known as the ‘turn,’ and includes phrases such as: “Police and witnesses told us this happened” or “students and faculty agree.” The turn allows you to switch from an inverted pyramid to a narrative.