Making Something from Nothing

Making Something from NothingUsing creative angles, formats, and headlines to spice up you stories

Wanda Pletcher CJEAltoona Area Junior High SchoolAltoona, Pennsylvania

Think about your angleChoosing an angleFor every story you have the privilege of deciding how to cover the story. This is your angle. Every story has many possible angles.A student covers a story about a speaker coming to the school. The speakers name is Adam Taliaferro. He is a former Penn State football player who was injured and never expected to walk again. He brings with him another football player Shawn Mayer who has just signed his pro contract. They are talking about a seven-step program to succeed in life.Importance of the 7 step program to succeed in lifeSean signing pro contractImpact of assembly on studentsAdam overcoming obstaclesStudents overcoming obstacles

What angle would you choose?Student Council sponsored a dance for ninth grade students. The dance was held in the cafeteria. Council members chose a theme of Winter Wonderland and invited the band The Stone Cold Mannequins. Tickets cost $4. Dates were not allowed.

Now how do you write the storyPhoto packageStraight narrativeQ & ATopicalSecond personPoint of viewSpatial

Photo packageCan the story be better told in photos? Add photos to a small copy block and provide details about the stories through the cutline.

Example The school play story. Take photos at dress rehearsal, during the play, and at the cast party afterwards. Write a few paragraphs about the play and let the pictures speak for themselves.Straight NarrativeTell a story. Your opening paragraph provides the vital details and characters reveal themselves.

Example A violinist at your school wins a scholarship. Tell the story of when she started playing and build up to winning the scholarship. Dont just talk about the scholarship. Q & ADont overuse this, but youve done your homework as a reporter and let the questions and answers speak for themselves.

Example Assembly stories. Dont retell what the entire student body already heard and saw. Interview the speaker and then use your interview questions.TopicalBreak your story up by providing subheads that establish the topics of the story. Determine your subheads prior to writing the story to make sure you gather enough information for each.

Example February was black history month. Break the story into topics: school events, community events, speakers, discrimintation, etc.Second personMake your readers feel like they are part of the story. This is not an excuse to be lazy because you dont want to stay in third person. This format is used for a specific reason. Put the reader in your shoes. Make them feel as if they attended the event and interviewed the people.

Example Your school goes to the state championship football game and wins. Not many students could attend because the game is so far away. Take them with you as you travel to the game and share the experience.Point of view storyYou must have several sources for this story. Tell the story as if you are one of the subjects. How does your source see things.

Example A great dancer at your school has been accepted to Julliard after several auditions. Interview the people who auditioned her and tell the story from their point of view. What do they see in her?SpatialTake your reader with you as you travel from location to location.

Example A team of students at your school is competing in the Odyssey of the Mind Competition. They arrive a the school and then compete in three different events. Travel with them throughout the day as they compete. Describe each competition and location.Dont go down in history with headlines like theseMan Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and DaughterSomething Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert SaysPolice Begin Campaign to Run Down JaywalkersPanda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes OverMiners Refuse to Work after Death Juvenile Court to Try Shooting DefendantIf Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last AwhileEnfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect HomicideRed Tape Holds Up New Bridges Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery ChargeNew Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test GroupKids Make Nutritious SnacksHospitals are Sued by 7 Foot DoctorsTyphoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead Basic headline rulesAccurately summarize the storyAttract the readers attentionSay what is importantUse the storys key wordsWatch for confusing wordsUse a subject and verbUse active voiceAvoid acronymns, a, an, the, andAvoid question headlinesDownstyle or upstyle

Headline stylesOne line Single line with one subject and verbTwo line Two lines with subject and verb ideally subject and verb on same lineUnderline Main headline bolder and in larger size then the underline. Both about the same width.Overline Main headline bolder and larger than overline. Both about the same width.Hammer The biggest and boldest part is one word or phrase. The main headline is smaller and contains subject and verb.Kicker Serving to add information, a kicker is one word or a short phrase. It does not have a subject and verb. Kicker is shorter than main headline and smaller.One lineObama could leave Indonesia early due to volcanic ash

Two lineClinton says there was no affair, urges witness to tell the truth

UnderlineTesting kills love of learningState and national testing levels reach record high

OverlineAcross the metro area, people flock to librariesCheck it out: Libraries thrive

HammerHow now, brown cow?Refreshing root beer float sends surge of childhood memories

KickerSCARLET FEVER World ready for 'Gone with the Wind' sequel

Your turnFind the other people in the room that have a sticker matching yours

Read the press release given to your group.

Come up with 5 possible angles and then choose the best angle.

Choose three story formats and discuss how you would write those stories. BE READY TO SHARE.

Write a headline for your story.