What follows is a newswriting exercise.

Any resemblance to persons living or

dead is purely coincidental.
It's 10:30 p.m. You're on the graveyard shift again at the Centerville Gazette and hear
some chatter on the police scanner about a car crash out on Highway 32, a road that
runs through a rural area of town. It sounds like a big crash so you head to the scene.
When you arrive you see that the crash is at the intersection of 32 and County Line
Road. Two cars, a large, relatively new-looking Ford SUV and a small Mini Cooper, have
collided in the middle of the intersection. It appears that the SUV broadsided the Mini
Cooper, which has been badly damaged on the driver's side. The SUV has some frontend damage. Several squad cars, an ambulance and fire trucks have surrounded the
scene. The weather is clear and the road is dry.
Centerville Police Officer Pete Wodotinski is on the scene and tells you the following:
The crash occurred about 10:15 p.m.
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Car Accident Reports

Journalism
Injured in a Car Accident
Writing
Car Crash

The SUV, heading east on 32, apparently ran the red light and broadsided the Mini
Cooper, which was heading south on County Line Road. The Mini Cooper had only one
occupant, the driver. He was pronounced DOA. The SUV had three passengers. All
were injured and have been taken to Centerville Hospital for treatment. No IDs are
available yet, Wodotinski tells you.

It's getting late so you head back to the newsroom. Once there you phone Sgt. Jack
O'Neill, the night-duty desk sergeant at the Centerville PD, to get any additional
information. O'Neill says the DOA in the Mini Cooper has been identified as Garrett
Johnson, 28, of Centerville, a former U.S. Marine who just returned from his final tour of
duty in Afghanistan last year. Johnson has a wife and a 2-year-old daughter, O'Neill
says.
O'Neill also says the three people in the SUV were all male students at the elite Waugh
Prep School in Centerville. All three were 17 and received minor injuries. O'Neill only
has an ID for the driver - Bradley Pierce, of Centerville.
As you're about to hang up, O'Neill adds, "Turns out Pierce is the son of Porter Pierce,
president and owner of Pierce Manufacturing," a local company that makes electronic
parts for computers. "And, oh yeah, we found beer cans in the SUV," he adds.

What Is the Lede?

The lede (thats how journalists spell it) is the first paragraph of any news story. Its also
the most important. The lede must accomplish three things:
give readers the main points of the story
get readers interested in reading the story
accomplish both a and b in as few words as possible
Typically editors want ledes to be no longer than 35-40 words. Why so short? Readers
want their news delivered quickly. A short lede does just that.

What Goes in the Lede?

Journalists use the inverted pyramid format which features the five Ws and the H
Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
Who who is the story about?

What what is the story about?

Where where did the event youre writing about occur?

When when did it occur?

Why why did this happen?

How how did this happen?

Example 1:

Lets say youre writing a story about a man who was injured when he fell off a ladder.
Here are your five Ws and H:
Who the man
What he fell off a ladder while painting
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Writing
How to Write a Story

When yesterday

Why the ladder was rickety

How the rickety ladder broke

So your lede might go something like this:

Writing a Will
News Press Release
Article Writer

Where at his house

A man was injured yesterday when he fell off a rickety ladder that collapsed while he
was painting his house.
That sums up the main points of the story in just 20 words, which is all you need for the
lede.

Example 2:

Lets say youre writing a story about a house fire in which three people suffer smoke
inhalation in a house fire. Here are your five Ws and H:
Who three people

What they suffered smoke inhalation and were hospitalized following a house

fire

Where at the house

When yesterday

Why a man fell asleep smoking in bed

How the cigarette ignited the man's mattress

Here's how this lede might go:
Three people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation following a house fire that officials
said was ignited by a man in the home who fell asleep while smoking.
That lede clocks in at 27 words. - a little longer than the last one, but still short and to
the point.

Example 3:
Okay, let's try something a bit more complicated. This is a story about a hostage
situation. Here are your five Ws and H:

Who six people, one gunman

What the gunman held six people hostage in a restaurant for two hours before
surrendering to police

Where at Billy Bob's Barbecue Joint

When last night

Why the gunman tried robbing the restaurant but police arrived before he could
escape

How he ordered the six people into the kitchen

Here's how this lede might go:
A gunman who tried robbing Billy Bob's Barbecue Joint last night took six people
hostage when police surrounded the restaurant, but he surrendered to authorities
following a two-hour standoff.
That lede is 28 words, which isn't bad for a story that's got a bit more complexity to it.

Write Them Yourself

Now here are some examples to try on your own.

Who Barrett Bradley, the president of Centerville College

What he announced tuition will be raised 5 percent

Where at a gathering in the college's amphitheater

When yesterday

Why enrollment is dropping and the college is facing a $3 million deficit

How he will ask the college's Board of Trustees to approve the tuition hike
The president of Centerville College, Barrett Bradley announced yesterday during the
gathering at the colleges amphitheater that he will ask the colleges board of trustees to
approve the tuition hike of 5 percent due to dropping of enrollment and 3 million college
deficit.
Who Melvin Washington, point guard for the Centerville High School basketball

team

What he scores a record 48 points to lead the team to the state championship
over the rival team at Roosevelt High School

Where in the school's gymnasium

When last night

Why Washington is a gifted athlete who observers say has an NBA career
ahead of him

How he is a remarkably precise shooter who excels at making three-pointers

Who Centerville Mayor Ed Johnson

What he holds a press conference announcing he has a drinking problem and

is stepping down from his post

Where in his office at City Hall

When today

Why Johnson says he is entering rehab in order to deal with his alcoholism

How he will step down and deputy mayor Helen Peterson will take over

Centerville Mayor Ed Johnson holds a press conference today in his office at City hall
to announce that he is stepping down and deputy mayor Helen Peterson will take
over due to his alcoholism and that he has to enter rehab.