This week I’m conducting an online writers’ workshop. The goal is to help you dramatically improve your writing skills.
Today: rewrite a news story.
Pick any news story of at least one hundred words and rewrite it.
Good news writing is clear and concise. Rewriting something fairly well written is difficult. It will challenge you to look at the material closely and to think clearly.
Try this approach: read the article once straight through. Next, read and make notes on the key points in the story. Then read a third time looking for the overall arrangement of the information. When you’ve completed these three readings, set the article aside and begin your own draft. Start with an outline of the key points and structure your story. Do not add details that you cannot find in the original story.
When you’ve completed the story, read it and compare it to the original. Is it still clear? What were you able to add by your rewrite?
Rewriting the work of others is a great temptation for writers, but it’s not always easy. To make this exercise more challenging, look for an exceptionally well written news story to start with.
