As you might already know, writing for the internet is very much different when writing for traditional media. When writing for newspapers, you are serving different types of people who have unique needs and demands. Here’s how you can meet these:
1. Present your facts as simple and as plain as possible. Unlike when writing articles for the internet, you can’t really inject so much of your personal opinion when writing for newspapers. Remember, you only have limited space and you need to maximize that. You can do this by not using fillers (this is a big no-no in this endeavor) and by not beating around the bush.
2. Inverted pyramid technique. This is a must-do when you’re writing for newspapers. Your first paragraph must contain the exact information that your readers are looking for. At this point, you must be able to answer the what, why, where, when, and how questions of these people.
3. Catchy headline. Here’s the truth; if you don’t use punchy headlines, your articles will remain unread. You don’t want that to happen, right? Then, master the rope of creating catchy titles. They must be short but extremely powerful. They must give your readers an idea about the gist of your content. If possible, make your titles benefit-driven. This can boost your open rate by up to a hundredfold.
4. Use quotes. Interview people who are considered authority on your chosen topics and obtain quotes that can spark interest among your readers. Quotes can give your articles that human quality and they’ll make your content sound a bit personal.