Hints on news reporting

A concise handbook for newspaper reporters that defines news as timely items of interest and insists on plain, direct prose. It argues that essential facts should appear immediately rather than being withheld for suspense, explains the straight news lead and the primacy of the who, what, when, and where (with how and why as often necessary), and stresses precise identification of people, places, and times. It also advises tailoring copy to readers' interests, distinguishes reporter-written stories from headline work, and recommends arranging information so that subsidiary details follow the central account.