Whether it’s an international news development, the latest celebrity death or a political controversy, top stories are ones that capture public interest and attention. These articles must be timely and relevant to readers, which means avoiding topics that aren’t currently in the news cycle or have been covered already by other publications. Depending on the medium, top stories can be shorter than breaking news stories or more lengthy than feature pieces.
Begin with a compelling lead that grabs the reader. A dramatic anecdote, a shocking fact or a quick summary can work well. Also, don’t use jargon or technical descriptions that most readers wouldn’t understand; instead, break them down into more simple words and sentences.
The inverted pyramid writing format — placing the most important information at the beginning of an article — is an effective way to structure news stories, according to Poytner Institute, which provides journalism training and writing tips. Another format to consider is the narrative, which combines aspects of the inverted pyramid and the hourglass model. It “allows the writer to tell a chronological story complete with detail, dialogue and background,” Poytner reports.
A strong nut graph at the heart of an article — a paragraph or more that summarizes the news in general terms and answers the questions who, what, where, when and why — can be particularly helpful in keeping readers engaged. It also helps to place the new developments in context, explains why they are significant and places them in a bigger picture.