ESOL News Network--Three Common Questions

Three Common Questions

1. What should I write about?

Write about the things that interest you.

A good reporter keeps his or her eyes and ears open! Stories are all around you. What are kids talking about in the cafeteria? Any new students or staff you want to find out about? School assemblies? Sports? Something that you are studying?

What about in your community? Is the library having any special programs? Any new shops or buildings?

If you look out further, what is happening in the US or in the world? What have you heard on the TV or radio, read on the Internet or in a newspaper, or heard your parents talking about? When you find a story that you want to learn more about and report, that is what you should write about.

Remember, keep your eyes and ears open.

2. How do I start?

FIND A TOPIC. Interesting stories are about things that other people find interesting to read. Think about the things that interest you and then ask others what they think.

GO OUT AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION YOU CAN. This is where you talk to people, get information from two or more sources, do your research, and maybe even do a survey. Get all the information you can about the story before you start to write about it, then...

THINK ABOUT THE STORY. This is the time for you to start thinking about your story and how you are going to write about it before you start. Does it make sense in your head? Talk to others about it. Does it make sense to them? Do others have questions that you cannot answer? If so, go out and get those answers. After you have done that, you are now ready to...

WRITE YOUR FIRST DRAFT. Check the ENN Writing Process. It explains further what you will do.

But remember, all this begins with a good idea for a topic. That's where you start.

3. How long should my story be?

The answer is as long as it takes to report your story.

Some news stories are very short and find themselves in our "News Briefs" section. As long as the story answers the who, what, when, where, and why questions, it can be used. Some news stories can be long because there are a lot of facts to report. They should include

quotes--what people are saying about the news event.

Feature stories are usually longer and provide more background information. Again, they often include quotes and try to explain more completely the story that is being reported.

Editorial and opinion pieces may be short or long. Whatever their length, it is important that you give the reasons for your opinion. Your job is to explain to others why they should agree with you. When making these explanations, it is important to remember that the reader may not know about the issue (the subject or point that you are talking about), and you will have to explain it completely.

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