Use the KISS Formula: Keep It Simple, Silly — fooled you, didn't I?
The lead is a concise summary statement, a paraphrase — your own words — of what you consider to be the most important point. In this case, seven sentences.
- America must continue to explore space, a former astronaut and senator said Tuesday night at Trinity University.
- John Glenn, who served four terms as senator from Ohio, said to quit exploration now would be a step backward for mankind.
- In 1959, he was selected to be one of seven NASA Mercury astronauts from an original pool of 508. Three years later, on Feb. 20, 1962, he made history as the first American to orbit the earth, completing three orbits in a five-hour flight and returning to a hero's welcome.
- Glenn returned to space from Oct. 29 to Nov. 7, 1998, as a member of NASA's Shuttle STS-95 Discovery mission during which crew supported a variety of research payloads and investigations on space flight and aging. During that mission, Glenn made 134 Earth orbits in 213 hours and 44 minutes.
- "We've come a long way since 1962," Glenn said, "but we still have a long way to go."
The third-fifth paragraphs contain a follow up of the first two paragraphs with a direct quote that adds to and completes the ideas expressed in the preceding paragraphs.
Then, report the rest of what was said in summary-quote format. Avoid getting yourself into the story such as Joe Blow talked to our class Wednesday.
Subsequent paragraphs develop and complete the story‹use summary-quote approach and stop when you have finished.
Paragraph 1 -- WHAT WAS SAID? (not direct quote) WHO SAID IT? — paraphrase the information.
Paragraph 2 -- FULL IDENTIFICATION WHERE AND WHEN? — details that add to first paragraph
Paragraph 3 -- direct quote that you think is hot to go here
Paragraph 4 -- summary statement
Paragraph 5 -- followed by another quote.
Subsequent paragraphs the same
Simply stop writing when you have finished telling what the speaker said. No need to conclude.
- Avoid chronological coverage. Begin with the most important info, even if it is down in the speech.
- Do not begin with a direct quote.
- Alternate summary statements with direct quotes from the speaker.
- Use attribution: he said at the ending of direct quotes and indirect quotes. You may also use the speaker's name at the beginning of an indirect quote.
- Observations, not judgments, should be in summary statements.
- One sentence paragraphs, direct, active voice. Instead of "The ball was hit by the boy." which is passive, say "The boy hit the ball." which is active.
- Write as much as you can -- it is better to have too much than not enough. Gather as much information as you can in notes and questions after the speech.
- Take notes madly.
- Make an observation as to what is most important about what was said. Or, you may summarize the entire thing in one sentence.
- Direct quotes should answer the questions "why?" or "how?"
- Use short, snappy sentences.
- "Said" is the best word‹no need to use commented, etc., unless a specific verb is needed. If the person "whispered," then use that word. If he/she "shouted," then use that word.
- Do not use "according to" except with printed material: According to a government report, so and so. The attribution should be subject-verb not verb-subject unless the identification after the name is long.
- Think about the interaction of the speaker with the audience.
How long should it be?
Long enough to cover the subject and short enough to be interesting. I have no prescribed length.