Writing Tips

Writing for newspapers is the same as any other sort of writing: it needs to be fluent, confident and easy to read. Its purpose and meaning must be absolutely clear, and it must engage a reader right from the first word until the last full stop. In order to write well for newspapers you need practice, and you need to evaluate the writing you produce with a critical eye, ready to identify opportunities for improvement.

You will find some useful tips at

One of the fathers of modern journalism is Truman Capote, who inspired the New Journalism movement of the likes of Tom Wolfe. Capote and those who followed him were interested in conveying news stories through the unadorned experiences of those who were involved - ordinary people who were caught up in extraordinary circumstances. In 1960 Capote headed south to Kansas, in order to investigate the brutal murder of the Clutter family. The resulting non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood, is a superb example of journalistic writing: clear, concise, factual, yet effectively conveying the bitter heart of a murder case. You will find a copy of the book in the school library.