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Points to remember while editing
First five paragraphs:
1. Capture the key elements
2. Tell the reader why she/he should care.
3. Emphasize who is most affected
4. Include a nutgraf.
5. Use simple language
6. Try to tell the news through the experiences of those most affected.
7. Be lean, be clean, be elegant.
Six things to consider with every story you edit
1. Does the lede work? Is it supported in the story? If it's an anecdote, does it really reflect the point of the story, or is it just a nice anecdote?
2. What's the point of the story? Is the point clear?
3. Does the story make sense? Is there just enough information, too much or too little?
4. Is it fair? Are both sides represented? Are racial, sexual, religious, ethnic, etc. reference relevant? Is that relevance clearly established in the story? Is it applied equally to all people in the story?
5. Is the writer's voice intact? When an image doesn't work, do you replace as few words as possible? If you were the writer, how would you feel about these changes?
6. Do numbers add up? Are they comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges?
Source: New York Times Editing Seminar
Keep this list handy and consider with everything you edit
Context
Impact on reader
Background summary
Mainstreaming
Online component
Part of big picture, nationally globally
Specific details
Exact location
Art opportunity
Comparison info
Human voice
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