Inverted Pyramid Writing Structure
Why the Inverted Pyramid Works for News Writing
News media, whether online or in print, demands a writer place as much vital information in front of the public in as short a time as possible.
The inverted pyramid structure of writing helps journalists to prioritize information so the most important facts and data are the first items to be read.
How Inverted Pyramid Structure Works
The Inverted Pyramid works in this way: imagine a pyramid shape upside down – the main details of the story fill up the top (the widest point) and the supporting data and facts work down in order of importance.
In short paragraphs the journalist is required to sum up the most important news first – the who, what, when, why and how.
Each paragraph links to the previous one by referencing a subject using the same word, a detail of the subject or a synonym. For example: ‘A young boy is attacked by dogs…’ in the first paragraph, ‘the eight-year-old survived the attack…’ in the second and ‘The child is now in hospital…’ in the third.
This style will keep the article from looking like disparate items. It also forces the writer to provide as much newsworthy information as possible in a small space, thus keeping the information concise and informative.
Why This Writing Structure is Used in News Media
This format works well in news media for two reasons:
- It allows readers to get the most important information quickly, without having to read the entire article.
- Editors can make easy cuts to articles that don’t fit by simply cutting one paragraph off at a time, from the bottom up, without losing critical information.
Historically news items were presented very differently. An article posted on Poynter Online by Chip Scanlan, entitled ‘Birth of the Inverted Pyramid: A Child of Technology, Commerce and History’ describes the change in format from ‘epic’ storytelling to the inverted pyramid form we see today.
The article describes how the creation of the telegraph impacted news reporting styles. Since news could be reported as it happened but the cost of telegraphing required economy of words, the inverted pyramid structure began to dominate.
What is the Downside to This Story Structure?
A common complaint is that the inverted pyramid does not have the emotion or suspense of other news writing structures such as the narrative or hourglass. It is informative but often reduces news to the bare bones.
Stories tend to loose steam as the article progresses since the inverted pyramid does not have a build up or clima x– all the interesting news is at the beginning.
Journalists must work harder to make the story personal as this format allows very little space for extra details. While this encourages journalists to develop critical thinking skills, some still debate its merits as the popular choice for news media writing.
Find out more about writing structures in the article 'News Writing Structure'
Sources:
- Writing from the Top Down: 'Pros and Cons of the Inverted Pyramid' - Chip Scanlan
- 'Inverted Pyramid Story Format' - Ken Blake, Ph.D., Middle Tennessee State University
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