News is the information that a newspaper, broadcast or online publication shares about important events. Often news will be about something that is unusual, surprising, interesting or significant. Generally it is about people, although news about things happening in the natural world can also be important. News should be accurate and up to date.
A good news story will catch the reader’s interest and keep it throughout the article. It will answer all the questions the reader might have, and be clear and concise. It should have a short and snappy headline (or lede in journalism jargon) which gives a preview of the story and answers the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why. It will have a byline (usually your name) and be followed by the main facts of the story. This will include any quotes and additional, but subordinate, information that will help the reader understand or know more about what is being reported.
It is important to know your audience. This will guide how the news is presented and the type of information you choose to include. It will also help you to avoid using jargon which might confuse the reader or sound too technical. It is always a good idea to have another pair of eyes read your work before you submit it for publication. This will allow them to check for grammatical errors which are easy to miss, and to point out any sections of the article that might need clarification or simplification.