1. Structuring Stories
to Hold Reader Interest
Lizabeth A. Walsh, MJE

2. Why choose a structure?
Structure can be a huge help for a staff…
 Provides a framework for young writers
 Makes writing easier because it becomes
routine
 Helps determine design because word count
remains approximately the same t/o
 Gives advisers & editors a checklist of “look
fors”
 Creates voice for a publication

3. Frameworks that work
 Wall Street Journal’s
 anecdotal lede
 New York Times’s
 lede-quote-transition-conclusion

4. WSJ (anecdotal lede) piece
This is what Heather Hill eats: French fries, pasta with
butter or marinara sauce, vegetarian pizza, cooked
broccoli, corn on the cob and cakes and cookies without
nuts.
And what she doesn't eat? Pretty much anything else.
Ms. Hill is what you might call a picky eater. But she isn't
a child. She's a 39-year-old mother of three who runs
her own business in Raleigh, N.C. She says she is
unable to eat other foods. "When I was younger it was
cute," Ms. Hill says. "Now it's embarrassing.”

5. People like Ms. Hill have long puzzled clinicians
and medical experts because their behaviors don't
fit the definition of a traditional eating disorder, in
which people aim to achieve a certain body weight.
But picky eaters' diets can be so limited that their
food preferences interfere with their social and
professional relationships, which is one of the
hallmarks of a true disorder. Ms. Hill says she lies
to her friends about what she eats and avoids
parties and business lunches. And although she
tries to hide her pickiness from her children, she
frequently worries they will acquire her eating
habits.

6. BRAINSTORM…
What stories could you tell using this anecdotal
lede format?
oHow a player follows superstitious behavior
oHow a student preps for the ACT/SAT
oHow a musician prepares for a concert
oHow a teacher presents a lesson
oHow an administrator deals with conflict

7. Practice session…
Choice 1: Use a story from last year’s book and
re-think it, using the anecdotal lede. Develop
the approach and tell the story that would
have been there- if only you had thought
about it that way.
Choice 2: Create a story you believe should be
covered in this year’s book. Use a situation
with which you are familiar and begin to
craft the story by showing (not telling) the
reader what you want to share (vivid verbs,
clear imagery).

8. When is
an anecdotal lede best?
 Feature
pieces rather than new or breaking
news events
 In-depth reporting with space to not only
tell the story, but present additional related
information
 Yearbook stories that have appeal to many
by reporting on the few

9. NYT (quote-transition) piece
Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have chosen to become teammates
in Miami, sparking a power shift that could turn spectacular if
LeBron James- the greatest N.B.A. free agent of them all-
decides to join them.
Wade and Bosh made their announcement together in a live
interview on ESPN early Wednesday afternoon. Wade, a 28-
year-old guard, and Bosh, a 26-year-old power forward, were to
of the most coveted players in the heralded 2010 free agent
class. They are also close friends and spoke throughout the
process about joining forces somewhere. They chose Miami,
where Wade has placed his entire seven-year career. Bosh has
played his seven previous seasons for the Toronto Raptors.

10. Quote graf,
transition quote graf
“I’m joining Mr. Wade in Miami,” Bosh,
smiling widely, told ESPN via satellite.
Wade, also interviewed by satellite, but from
a different location, called Bosh’s decision
“just an unbelievable opportunity for me to
play with someone of his caliber.”

11. BRAINSTORM…
What stories could you tell using this quote-
transition (summary lede) format?
•Winning a big game in the season
•Change in policy or schedule
•Earning a position in playoffs, All-State,
etc.
•School royalty election results
•Any newsworthy event that happens
during the year

12. Practice session…
Choice 1: Use a story from last year’s book and
re-think it, using the quote-transition w/
summary lede. Develop the approach and
tell the story that would have been there- if
only you had thought about it that way.
Choice 2: Create a story you believe should be
covered in this year’s book. Use a situation
with which you are familiar and begin to
craft the story by showing (not telling) the
reader what you want to share (vivid verbs,
clear imagery).

13. When is a quote-transition
with summary lede best?
 Forreporting events that have multiple
people who can provide their own
perspectives on how it happened
 Forcapturing a historical occasion and the
details that were important
 Forjust about any yearbook story on an
event- not necessarily a person

14. Good readers
make good writers.
Read
oRead
•Read

15. Coverage philosophy
 Who will you cover in the yearbook?
 Why will you cover them?
 How will you tell their stories?
 What will you do to make them appealing to your
audience?
 When will you gather information and input?
 Where will you look for ideas and input for future
editions?

16. Drawbacks to structure
Redundancy…
oWatch your writing staff and help them select
different ledes and different structures for the
opening paragraphs.
oRead consecutive stories aloud- in a row,
preferably on the same day to make sure this
doesn’t happen.

17. Link to Hearst Writing
http://www.hearstfdn.org/hearst_journalism/cham

18. All materials presented…
 Remain the property and copyright of the various
owners of the original works.
 These yearbook samples were presented at BALFOUR
workshops for the benefit of their clients and
customers.
 Please do not alter these presentations.
 Use of these shows is intended only for individual
adviser-to-staff classroom teaching, not for publication
or reproduction in any form for any type of
presentation at a conference, camp, convention, or
gathering of multiple schools’ staffs.