A Good Story is All in the Details

 In Blog

Whether you’re writing a short piece for an enewsletter or you’re crafting a blog for your website, the best way to engage the reader is through the use of details that draw them in. Help them see what you are seeing, and offer them the five Ws – who, what, where, when and how. (Yes, somehow “how” gets lumped in as a W in journalism school.)

When you’re writing about something that comes from the heart, the details are all right there, easy to pass on. But when you are a journalist, or you’re writing on someone else’s behalf, gathering those nuggets is part of the work.

I learned this the hard way.

I was a young journalist for the then Springfield Morning Union, now the Republican, and I was assigned to write about a grant that had been received by the Granby Fire Department.

I put in a call to the fire chief. I got a quote about how pleased he was to receive the grant. I took great notes, and I was proud of how complete and accurate the quote was. We hung up.

Five minutes later, I called to ask him who had issued the grant, where the funds would come from.

Five minutes after that, I called to ask him how the grant funds would be used.

And, horribly mortified, five minutes later, I called him again to ask the amount of the grant.

Finally, I had my five Ws, and I could write my story, complete with all the necessary details.

I was able to tell readers that Granby residents would soon be better protected as thousands of dollars in state funds would pay for the purchase of a new ambulance. I was able to tell them that the fire chief thought this piece of equipment would help keep them safe and increase response time to emergencies.

As you sit down to write your blog or enewsletter article, keep your audience in mind, and focus on the message you want them to receive. Whether you’re writing about a new program or service in your business or the good work of a nonprofit you are involved in, engage the reader with the details.

Tell the story, and keep it short and sweet, but rich with the images that will make people keep moving to the next sentence.

And if you are writing on someone else’s behalf and need to gather the information, take my advice and make a list of questions before you pick up the phone.

If you need help writing for your audience, we can help. Contact us at janice@beetlepress.com or (413) 374-6239.

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