When composing any piece of writing, it can help to answer the 5 Ws (and How) of journalism.
Because I graduated from journalism school, much of my technique focuses around what I learned while working on my MA at Syracuse. From the practice I received as a writer, to the way I structure everything from speeches to blog posts to book chapters, my training shows in my work. J-school, of course, emphasized the 5 Ws (and How) of journalism, and find that remembering to answer these questions can help me stay on track as I write.
For the most part, the 5 Ws (and How) are used to introduce a news story. They are questions that should be answered in the lede (it’s a funny way to spell it, I know). While blog writing, and other types of writing, might not always cram all that information in an opening paragraph, it’s still a good idea to answer those questions at some point during the article, book, or blog post. ... Read more