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