Professional Documents
Culture Documents
0 Write It Better
5.1 Four Essential Considerations
5.2 Two Basic Formulas
5.3 The Inverted Pyramid Formula
5.4 The Pyramid Formula
5.5 The Five W’s And One H
5.6 Think AIDA
5.7 Let’s Review The Basics
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
To understand the basic rules of writing
To comprehend the four essential considerations of
writing
To Explore the Basic formulas in writing and the
nuances of using the formula
To learn techniques of using 5w’s and 1H of writing
The Inverted Pyramid tells all the facts — the whole basic
story — a summary lead or opening paragraph. It then
gives the details of these facts in subsequent paragraphs,
either as they unfold (as’ In their order in the lead
paragraph), or as they lessen In Importance to the reader.
It may summarize:
It may be based on news:
It may be anecdotal:
It can be startling:
It can be a question:
Any of these leads, and others, can be used to get the
reader (as It addresses the concerns and Interests of
people nearing retirement age) Interested in what you
have to write about.
They can even be used within your text to keep the reader
interested.
For instance, It can be a statement lead and then, in the
text, a question can be asked, an anecdote can be told, or
a news Item can be referred to.
As long as your story gives all the Information to satisfy
the reader’s wants or needs, then other devices such as
those Illustrated can be and should be used to motivate
action. You can use statistics to bring out or bear out
certain points, quotations to lend credence and liven things
up. and you can bring in the support of Illustrations,
tabulations, listings, and additional sources for
completeness.
They are ‘the famous Five Vs which, along with H, asks the
questions whose answers comprise all the ingredients of
the Inverted Pyramid formula’s summary lead paragraph
and the subsequent comprehensive story.
The Five W’s are leaned early in the career of every young
reporter and writer. Each can rattle off the Who, What,
When, Where, and Why (or How) of every story. Most can
even quickly determine the order of importance to their
readers.
The important point here, for you and your P.P.R.,ls ~ us.
the Five Vs are an excellent way for you to assemble (If
only by~ thought) all the elements of your story. How you
arrange those elements will depend on your reader (the
receiver) and you (the sender of the message).
By using the five W’s you will find that your messages or
“stories’ will be more complete, more accurate, more
understandable, and easier to write. They will have a
better chance of receiving the proper, perception by your
reader, all with a minimum of time on your part..
The Outline
As anyone who has ever built a house can tell you, you
may deviate from the blueprint— put a window here, move
a closet there, or use a different material.
You have the same freedom with your story.
Your outline, alter all, Is preliminary, a general concept, a
plan.
It may be long and detailed, or short and sketchy.
Euphemisms
Is the best word really a euphemism — a word or phrase
that Is used to avoid saying what our society may deem as