- Start strong. Well begun is half done.
- Read—and understand—your source copy.
- Underline or circle key facts.
- Think. Don't write yet. Think.
- Write the way you talk.
- Apply the rules for broadcast newswriting.
- Have the courage to write simply.
- Refrain from wordy warm-ups.
- Put attribution before assertion.
- Go with S-V-O: subject-verb-object.
- Limit a sentence to one idea.
- Use short words and short sentences.
- Use familiar words in familiar combinations.
- Humanize your copy. And localize it.
- Activate your copy: use active voice—and action verbs.
- Avoid a first sentence whose main verb is any form of to be: is, are, was, were, will be.
- Avoid may, could, seems.
- Put your sentence in a positive form.
- Use present tense verbs where appropriate.
- Don't start with a quotation or a question.
- Use connectives—and, also, but, so because—to link sentences.
- Put the word or words you want to stress at the end of your sentence.
- Use contractions—with caution.
- Pep up your copy with words like new, now, but, says.
- Watch out for I, we, our, here, up, down.
- Omit needless words,
- Hit only the highlights.
- Don't parrot source copy.
- Place the time element, if you need one, after the verb.
- When in doubt, leave it out.
- Don't raise questions you don't answer.
- Read your copy aloud. If it sounds like writing, rewrite it. The art of writing lies in rewriting what you've already rewritten.
Adapted from Block, Mervin, Writing Broadcast News—Shorter, Sharper, Stronger, 2nd ed. (Chicago: Bonus Books, 1998) Read your copy aloud. If it sounds like writing, rewrite it. The art of writing lies in rewriting what you've already rewritten. Adapted from Block, Mervin, Writing Broadcast News—Shorter, Sharper, Stronger, 2nd ed. (Chicago: Bonus Books, 1998) |
