Breaking news covers immediate, fast-developing events like political crises or stock market panics. It can also refer to a celebrity death or the latest controversy on a reality TV show. No matter the topic, the goal is to inform readers quickly and accurately. News articles rely on the journalistic writing style, which prioritizes delivering verified facts in an easily digestible format.
A well-written breaking news article starts with a strong lead, which captures the reader’s attention by describing the main point of the story. This is usually done by using a dramatic anecdote, surprising fact or important detail. The article then goes on to explain the full story, including the answers to the questions who, what, when and where. This information is usually presented in a nut graph, which breaks the story down into the most important details and places them in context for readers.
Ideally, the information in breaking news stories should be factual and objective. While a writer’s opinion can be woven into an article, it is not the focus of the piece. If the article features quotes from sources, make sure that you use their full names and spell them correctly (e.g., Molly, not Mollie). Also make sure that you have a clear source for all of the information in the story.
To develop your skills as a breaking news writer, practice often and take advantage of opportunities to cover local events. Read the work of established journalists to learn their styles and word choices. If you can, try to cover the same event multiple times from different perspectives to gain a wider understanding of the nuances of the story.
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