Hourglass Style English News Gathering and Writing II
- Slides: 11
Hourglass Style English News Gathering and Writing II Spring 2020 Changsup Park
Class Goals l Explain the characteristics of the hourglass style l Be able to write an hourglass style story
Hourglass Style l l l Combines the inverted pyramid and the narrative style Starts with the inverted pyramid Uses transition or turn to begin a chronological order of events after the lead
Hourglass Style
The Top l l l A summary lead followed by three to four paragraphs Answers the reader’s most pressing questions Contains only the most significant information
The Turn l l A transitional phrase Contains attribution for the narrative that follows l l According to police: Eyewitnesses described the event this way: The shooting unfolded this way: Law enforcement sources said:
The Narrative l l l Narrative: a story depicting people interacting with others Seeing the world in terms of people doing things, not as piles of disparate facts. Explain why people do certain things. Three parts: a beginning, a middle and an end The narrative allows the writer to tell a chronological story complete with details, dialogues, and background information
When do I use the Hourglass? l l l Especially useful when how something happened is important in understanding the event or situation. This style is best suited for dramatic stories that can be told in chronological fashion. Trials, accidents, rescues, sports, fire stories Is not recommended for a personality profile, a weather story, an obituary, a holiday celebration.
Hourglass Style
Review Question l Name three structural components in the hourglass style.
Guidelines for Writing News 1. Don’t write until you understand the event. 2. Don’t write until you know what you want to say. 3. Show; don’t tell. 4. Avoid judgments and inferences. Let the facts talk. 5. Use concrete nouns and colorful action verbs. 6. Avoid adjectival exuberance and resist propping up verbs with adverbs. 7. Put good quotes and interesting points high in the story. 8. Don’t raise questions you cannot answer in your copy. 9. Write simply, succinctly, and honestly.