What Makes a Good Story?

A good story is about something that kids like you decide is interesting or important. A great story uses storytelling to make important news interesting.  So, a good story is important and interesting.

Everyone is different. Though many kids may have lots of things in common, they also have many different interests.

So anything can be news. But not everything is ”newsworthy.”

Journalism is a when a reporter uses facts and storytelling to make a subject newsworthy. You can think of it as “storytelling with a purpose” (Thanks to The Elements of Journalism for that perfect description!).

Here at Kids’ News NYC, you create the news stories, and we will get it out there so other kids can read it.

Remember this –

“Treatment trumps topic.” How a story is told is more important to the reader than its topic, what it is about. The best story is a well-told tale about something the reader feels is relevant or significant.  In other words, it’s more about HOW you tell it than WHAT you are telling!

The above guideline has been adapted with permission from the American Press Institute.  For the original version, click here:

https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/makes-good-story/

Thank you, American Press Institute