Page Contents
2003 NFPW Conference
Conference Highlights

Site Contents
About NDPC
Awards & Contests
Join NDPC
Events
Leadership
Members' Area
Contact Us

2003 NFPW Conference

How to be your own writing coach

Great writing combines both information and the reading experience, says John Sweeney, public editor of the (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal. He encouraged NFPW members to say out loud what they want to write and write the headline and subheads before starting on the story.

“Have possible stories in your mind while you’re gathering information, not just a blank slate,” he said. “Think about who you are writing for and what feelings you want to express.”

Sweeney recommends these writing steps:

1. Audience - Who are they?
2. Idea - What are the story possibilities?
3. Reporting - Dig to get all the information.
4. Focus - What do people want to read?
5. Draft - Write quickly to get ideas down; lower your standards on the first draft.
6. Clarify - Read it out loud to find the stumbling points.

“When you have a problem, look back at the previous step,” Sweeney says.

- Becky Koch