Writing
C-4
If the
newspapers can possibly screw up one of your articles, you can
be certain that they will. -Advice from the old county agent.
The goal of journalism
(writing for mass media) is not just to be understood; our goal
must be to write so that misunderstanding will be impossible.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this
module you should be able to:
1. Write a news release
for a local newspaper.
2. Describe a process for improving your writing skills.
PREPARE A NEWS RELEASE
We will assume that
everyone reading this module has some degree of writing skills.
Rather than try to address grammar, composition, sentence structure,
spelling, punctuation, rhetoric, style, etc., this module will
deal with writing a news release for a local newspaper. This approach
will give you a useful skill and provide the basis for improving
your writing for as long or short a period as you choose.
Newspapers, like radio
and television, are mass media that can and should be used by
educators and other community development workers. Mass media
are essential for announcing meetings and events outside of the
small circle that can be contacted by telephone or face to face.
You do not have to
be an expert to prepare news releases. Some knowledge about your
organization and its activities is all you need to begin a news
release whether it is for a newspaper, the radio or television.
What is the event or activity that you wish to publicize? This
is your topic. Write it down. Now ask yourself the following questions
and write down the answers.
| WHO |
Person, group,
or organization involved in the activity. |
| WHAT |
What kind of meeting,
activity or event are you publicizing? (contest, sign up,
workshop, tour) |
| WHEN |
Exact time and
date (day, month, year) for starting and ending. |
| WHERE |
Exact location
(address) where the event will be held. (Give directions if
the address is not easy to find) |
| HOW |
Exactly how will
this event or activity unfold. |
| WHY |
Reasons for the
event, likely effects or outcomes. |
| RESULTS |
If this is an
activity that has already happened, what happened, what was
discussed, what decisions were reached? |
| OTHER
DETAILS |
Who sponsors the
event? Other details of interest. Include quotes and photos
(black and white) if available. More details are better than
not enough. |
Here is an example:
| WHO |
Boys and girls
ages 6-18 |
| WHAT |
Youth soccer league
sign ups for fall games (August 15 to November 15) |
| WHEN |
Saturday, July
2 and 9, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. |
| WHERE |
Verde Valley Fairgrounds,
104 N. Main, Cottonwood (entrance is beside the A & W
Drive-in) |
| HOW |
Come anytime.
Bring a birth certificate and a check for $25 to pay for uniform
and league expenses. A parent's signature is needed. All can
be completed in 10-30 minutes depending on how many people
show up at the same time. |
| WHY |
League purposes
are to provide a safe, healthy activity for all youth, to
teach teamwork, and to strengthen families. |
| RESULTS |
Everyone who registers
will be placed on a team. All registered players (who attend
practice) will play at least half of every game. Teams will
practice twice each week and play every Saturday. Teams are
formed of youth in two-year age groups: 6- 7, 8-9, 10-11,
12-13, 14-15, and 16-18. Practices start August 15. Games
are scheduled from September 7 through November 15. |
| OTHER
DETAILS |
Youth soccer is
the fastest growing sport in our state. Last year 814 youth
played soccer in our league. This is recreational soccer as
opposed to all-star or highly competitive soccer. No league
champions are determined. Placings are not announced. No body
is required to travel beyond the Verde Valley. Parents and
other adults are needed to be coaches, referees, and "team
mothers." No previous soccer experience is needed. Workshops
are provided for coaches and referees. |
Now write the essential
information in paragraph form. The first paragraph is the most
important. It should get attention and tell "who, what, where,
when, why." Following paragraphs give increasingly less important
information which may be cut if space is limited.
Example:
Everyone plays in the
Verde Valley youth soccer league. Sign ups for the fall season
will be 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday July 2 and July 9, 1999,
at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds for boys and girls ages 8 through
18. A birth certificate, a parent to sign the registration form,
and a check (or cash) for $25 is all you need to sign up.
Everyone who registers
will be assigned to a team. Every team member who attends practice
will play at least half of every game. Teams are made up of two-year
age groups. They play teams of the same age. No travel outside
the Verde Valley is required. Practices start August 15 and each
team will play every Saturday between September 7 and November
15. The $25 pays for a uniform and for league costs including
referees.
Adults are needed for
coaches, referees and team mothers. No soccer experience is required.
Workshops will be scheduled for coaches and referees.
The Verde Valley youth
soccer league is a recreational soccer program. Its purposes are
to provide a safe, healthy activity for youth, to teach teamwork,
and to strengthen families. No champions are declared and no team
standings are published. This is the tenth year for the league.
Last year 814 youth participated.
The Verde Valley Fairgrounds
is located at 104 Main Street in Cottonwood. The entrance is beside
the A & W Drive-in. The sign up process will take 10-30 minutes
depending on the number registering at any particular time.
EXERCISE: IMPROVE YOUR
WRITING SKILLS
Show your article to
a friend or colleague who has equal or better writing skills.
Ask him or her to critique your article for clarity and to note
any errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style. Take
the article to a news reporter who is interested in your subject
(newspapers assign reporters to the "sports beat," community
news, school activities, etc.). Many times a reporter will be
willing to critique your article and make suggestions for improvement.
The reporter will also tell you how and when to submit such articles
for publication.
By repeating this process
(outline, write, critique, revise) you will strengthen your writing
skills. Any writer will tell you that the best way to improve
your writing skills is to keep writing. |
