Steps to Writing a Story

1. Find a topic.
-consider audience
-has to have interest and value

2. Find an angle.
-a different way to approach that story
-look at the topic froma different angle
-summarize in 3 words: subject, verb, object
-Ex. Wife awaits Soldier
-What should your reader learn?

3. Collect information.
-3 experts for the story
-opposing point of view (sometimes)
-what interview questions should i ask?
-simple details

4. Conduct the interview.
-ask the right questions
-make them feel comfortable
-get a good soundbyte (A PIECE OF AUDIO THAT CAN STAND ALONE)
-ask open-ended questions
-have the person restate the question in the interview

5. Shoot your reporter Stand-UP.
-should have a good idea what story is about
-Stand-UP should provide information that audience doesn't know
-use Stand-UP for transition from one location to the next
-No first person: I went
-In MIDDLE of story!

6. Organize your sound bytes.
-What quotes should i use?
-How can i organize the quotes to tell a story?
-What are my golden nuggets?
-Sprinkle the nuggets throughout the story.

7. Write segues in your story.
-Use words that tie the interviews together
-What other information can I ad to the story?
-Can the story stand on its own?

8. Write the Beginning and End of your story.
-Write body first
-best sound byte at the beginning and end
-paraphrase a sound byte at the beginning
-leave them with strongest sound byte at end
-leave them with hope

9. Write the anchor ______________ and ________________ (if necessary).
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10. Collect ___________ to add to your story (throughout steps 4-9)
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*Steps 4-8 in your story are called the ____________________.