News Writing Fundamentals: Write Stories with Impact

This course covers the essential components of news writer training, improving your copy skills and putting theory into practice

This one-day news writer training course equips you to tackle stories confidently so you can produce clear, clean copy with impact. You’ll finish the day reporting from an interactive news conference.

What You’ll Learn: Introductions and story structure to press conference practice

What makes a story news? How do news reporters decide what to cover and where do they find stories? What determines which stories lead the news agenda or go viral? With insights from reporters and editors who are making the news, you’ll learn how journalists think and reveal the secrets of their decision making – helping you develop your own “nose for news”.

We’ll spend time considering the key principles and golden rules of news stories so you have a strong grasp of the fundamentals or can refresh your skills. We’ll walk you through the fundamentals of news writing – from the 5Ws and beyond – so that you’ll hone your ability to write engaging news stories and craft attention-grabbing introductions.

You’ll also be asked to put your skills into action: you’ll be plunged you into a real-time news conference, and asked to produce a brilliant story from the information you glean from it. By simulating a situation that journalists often find themselves in, you’ll understand how well you can think on your feet in a pressurised situation. 

How you’ll learn

This three-module news writer training course will be led by an excellent trainer who will share their practical expertise through presentations, discussion and practical exercises – ensuring you have opportunity to reinforce your learning and test your understanding. You’ll receive feedback on your work from an experienced editor.

Who the course is for

This course is for you if you want to hone your news sense, refresh or build your practical news skills, and put reporting theory into practice in a real-time, interactive news conference. If you are interested in features, you might like our Features Masterclass: Writing with Flair and Focus course.

BOOK AS AN INDIVIDUAL: Check out the scheduled dates below and book your place now. This will be a remote course. 

BOOK FOR YOUR TEAM: The course will be tailored to your needs and can be delivered remotely or in your offices. Get in touch using the button below to discuss times and dates for bespoke training. 

Course Modules

What Makes News

  1. What makes a news story
  2. News sources and demographics
  3. ‘Hard’ and ‘soft’ news
  4. Recognising fact and opinion
  5. Knowing your audience

News Writing Basics

  1. Story structure and the 5Ws
  2. Writing a good introduction
  3. Building out the body of the story
  4. How and where to use quotes
  5. Language usage in news

Interactive News Conference

  1. Report from a mock press conference
  2. Write up your story
  3. Share and discuss your approach
  4. Receive feedback on your copy
news writer training course - person reads a newspaper

News Writing Fundamentals: Write Stories with Impact

This course covers the essential components of news writer training, improving your copy skills and putting theory into practice

Get in touch

What our students say

View all testimonials

I really could not recommend Press Association enough to anyone who is looking to jump into the fascinating world of journalism. The course equips you with all the necessary skills you need to enter the industry and the wide range of topics covered leaves it hard for you to ever feel bored.

Holly Bishop
, Digital Reporter
, GB News

Being equipped with an NCTJ Diploma does massive favours for your future, and the skills the course taught me are ones I lean on every single day. The simple fact is, I wouldn’t be where I am without that course. 

Alex Barker
, Videographer & Presenter
, The Athletic

The lifelike interview settings and tasks that PA Media Training deal in replicate perfectly the real-world feel of a tough media interview and help the delegates come out of the day feeling much more confident that they can play an active role in representing their organisation.

Transport for London
, Director of Communications & Corporate Affairs

PA Media Training were efficient, well organised and genuinely lovely people to deal with and, importantly for us, able to provide flexibility around our needs to create the bespoke training we required. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them for further training or to recommend them to other organisations.

Mayor of London’s Press Office
, Head of Media

I was able to count on excellent teachers and professionals who helped me push my limits and achieve my goals. I was impressed by the quality of the course and the motivation teachers put into it. It was a great experience and I would definitely do it again!

Laure Poncet
, Research Officer
, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes

My time at PA Training was a whirlwind of fun and excitement. The full-time NCTJ course in London is fast-paced and hard work but perfectly sets you up for what to expect in a reporter role.

Camilla Foster
, Reporter
, Newsquest

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