After the Times-Ledger reporters were done telling stories, we sat down and talked about the attributes that comprised effective storytelling. More than just who, what, where, when - captivate readers with images that take them to the scene. Take exhaustive, detailed notes you can use to help readers see, taste, smell and hear what's happening at the scene. Don't just write down the quotes and the facts. The trick is to choose your dialogue wisely so that it adds depth and meaning without going overboard.
Great stories vary the flow of words to keep a listener's attention.
Practice using short sentences with active verbs. Of course, there are critics of these techniques. They prefer reporters who stick to well-organized, tightly written articles that get to the point. Spare the flowery prose and the stories cluttered with unnecessary images that add nothing but inches to a story, they will say. And they are right - on all counts.