Story structures

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Story structures

Hourglass structure

Hard news

Useful in crime or disaster stories

Then contains chronological storytelling for a part or the rest of the story.

Gives the most important info of news in the top a story.

Can start like the inverted pyramid

Question/answer format

Useful for print and web stories

Helpful way to explain issues like budget increase or any controversial proposal

Inverted pyramid

Soft news

Way to make reader determine if he is interested in the topic

Reader gets crucial info fast

Starts with a summary (Wh-questions)

Then, supporting points go in descending order of importance

The most important information goes at the top of the story

Definition

Way in which news are organized

Sections technique

Useful for investigations or long features

You can organize sections of stories by points of view or time frames

Then, separates them by a large dot or capital letter.

Divides a story into sections (like book chapters)

List technique

Useful when journalists have several points to stress

Then itemize the main points until the ending.

Start with a summary lead or a soft lead and backup leads with quotes or facts.

The Wall Street journal formula

Goes from specific to general

Ending (conclusion with a quote or anecdote)

Development (cause/effect, explanations, points of view)

Next, goes supporting points

Then a focus graph (gives the main topic of a story)

Starts with a soft lead, focusing on a person, scene or event