10 Steps to Writing a Story

Friday, February 7, 2014

10 Steps to Writing a Story 

1. Find a topic.
-Relevant to audience
-Newsworthy

2. Find an angle.
-Specific way to look at topic

3. Collect information.
-Research topic
-Background info
-Who,what, where, when, why, how

4. Conduct the interviews.
-3 interviews: experts on the angle
-3 questions: could be same or different for each person

-Open ended question

5. Shoot your reporter stand-up.
-Reporter on camera
-One time on story
-Middle of story

-Should transition into next part of story

-On location after interviews

6. Organize your sound bites.
-Piece of audio that can stand by itself
-Pick and choose which bites are being used
-Order to your liking

7. Write segues in your story.
-Talking between interviews
-Use as transitions

8. Write the opening and closing of your story.
-Attention-getter
-Good conclusion

9. Write the anchor ins and outs (if necessary).
-Help anchors have good intros and exits from the story
-Include all wanted info

10. Collect B-Roll to add to your story (throughout steps 4-9)
-Footage of topic
-Cutaways
-Matching B-roll with interview information
-Natural sound

*Steps 4-8 in your story are called the A-Roll (audio, interviews, actual story)