STORY REVIEW
Newswriting Checklist
I. The Lead
1.
Number of words in your lead:____ (If your
lead exceeds 30 words — about three typed lines — it probably requires
rewriting.)
2.
Number of ideas in your lead:___
3.
Is your lead a simple sentence?
Yes___
No, it probably requires rewriting
4.
Is your lead likely to interest your friends?
Yes___
No, it probably requires rewriting
5.
Does your lead emphasize your story's most recent, important and unusual
details?
Yes___
No, it probably requires rewriting
6.
Is your lead specific: so specific that readers can visualize the story?
Yes___
No, it probably requires rewriting
7.
Have you avoided using any jargon or unfamiliar names in your lead?
Yes___
No, it probably requires rewriting
8.
Does your lead contain a strong, active, descriptive verb?
Yes___
No, it probably requires rewriting
II. The Body
1.
Have you provided a transition from your lead to your second paragraph?
Yes___
No, the second paragraph requires rewriting
2. Does the second paragraph emphasize the news —
interesting or important details about the topic summarized in your lead — not
background information or details about some other topic? Yes___
No, the second paragraph requires rewriting
3. How many words are in the body's longest sentence?___
(If the sentence exceeds 30 words, it may require rewriting.)
4. How many words are in the body's average sentence?___
(If the average sentence exceeds 20 words, your entire story may require
rewriting.)
5. What percentage of your sentences contain a weak
verb: "is," "are," "was" or "were"?___
(Circle all your story's weak verbs.)
6.
List your story's strongest — most active and descriptive — verbs: ______________
7.
What percentage of your sentences begin with a clause or phrase?
8. What percentage of your sentences begin with "there.is,"
"there are, "there was," "there were" "it is," or "it was" ? ___
9.
Have you used good quotations? Yes___ No___
10.
Have you used good descriptions? Yes___ No
11.
Have you explained or defined every unfamiliar term?
Yes___
No, the story requires rewriting
12. Have you
avoided all jargon, cliches and euphemisms?
Yes___
No, the story requires rewriting
13. Have you
avoided sentences that would sound awkward in a casual conversation with
friends?
Yes___
No, the story requires rewriting
14. Have you
also avoided sentences that:
A.
State the obvious?
Yes No
B.
Report what did not happen? Yes___
No_
C,
Are wordy or redundant? Yes___
No_
III. Finally, Have You
1. Continually
emphasized the details most likely to interest your readers? Yes___
No___
2. Emphasized the human element? Yes___
No___
3. Used specific examples and anecdotes? Yes___
No___
4. Used short, plain, familiar words? Yes___
No___
5. Used the normal word order: subject, verb and
direct object? Yes___ No___
6. Interviewed some of the people likely to be
affected by your story, not just the policy makers responsible for it?
Yes No