From Reporting to a Narrative Plan
After you’ve gathered notes, documents, and quotes, the next job is to turn that material into a plan a reader can follow. A story outline is not a summary of everything you learned; it’s a map that selects the most relevant information, arranges it in a logical order, and makes your central point easy to understand.
A useful outline does three things at once: it clarifies what the story is about (the central question), what you can prove (key findings and evidence), and what the reader should do with it (why it matters now and what happens next).
1) Identify the Central Question (Your Story’s Engine)
The central question is the single question your reporting answers. It keeps the outline focused and helps you cut distractions.
- Good central question: specific, answerable with your reporting, and tied to real-world impact.
- Weak central question: broad (“Is housing a problem?”), opinion-based (“Why is the city corrupt?”), or unprovable with your material.
Examples
- “Why did the town’s drinking water exceed lead limits for three months, and what is being done to prevent it happening again?”
- “How will the new bus route cuts affect commute times for shift workers, and what alternatives are officials offering?”
2) Write Your Key Findings as Verifiable Claims
Key findings are the most important things you learned—written as clear, checkable statements. Each finding should be supportable with evidence you already have (documents, data, on-the-record quotes, direct observation).
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Turn messy notes into findings
- Messy note: “People angry about clinic wait times; staffing issues; budget?”
- Finding: “Average clinic wait times increased from X to Y after staffing fell by Z positions, according to scheduling records and employee interviews.”
Quick test: If you had to defend the finding to an editor in one sentence, could you cite the evidence immediately?
3) Attach Supporting Evidence to Each Finding
For every key finding, list the evidence that proves it. Think in layers: one strong piece of evidence is good; two different types are better (for example, a document plus a quote; or data plus observation).
| Finding | Primary evidence | Secondary evidence | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead levels exceeded limits for three months | Lab test results (dates, values) | Health department email confirming timeline | Verification + official acknowledgment |
| Residents weren’t notified promptly | Notification policy + timestamps | Resident quote describing when they learned | Accountability + human impact |
| Fix is scheduled but funding uncertain | Budget document + contract status | Official quote on funding gap | What happens next + stakes |
Grouping Notes by Themes (So the Outline Has Shape)
Instead of outlining from a chronological pile of notes, group your material into themes that readers intuitively understand. A practical set of buckets for many accountability and service stories is:
- Impact: Who is affected, how, and how much?
- Causes: What led to this situation? What changed?
- Response: What are officials/organizations doing now?
- Solutions: What fixes are proposed, and what evidence suggests they’ll work?
- Accountability: Who is responsible, what rules apply, and what oversight exists?
How to do it quickly
- Make five headings (Impact, Causes, Response, Solutions, Accountability).
- Move each fact, quote, and document into one heading. If something fits nowhere, it may be a distraction—or you need a new bucket.
- Within each bucket, rank items by strength (most specific, most verified, most consequential).
Tip: A single quote can serve different buckets depending on how you use it. A resident quote might illustrate impact, while an expert quote might clarify cause or evaluate solutions.
Build a Simple Story Spine
A story spine is a compact outline that mirrors how readers move through a news feature or explanatory story. It helps you avoid two common problems: dumping everything you learned, or burying the point.
The Spine Components
- Lead: A compelling entry that signals the topic and stakes (often through a person, moment, or striking fact).
- Nut graf: A short paragraph that states what’s happening, why it matters, and what your story will explain.
- Key points: The main findings in a logical order (not necessarily chronological).
- Evidence: The proof under each key point (data, documents, quotes, observation).
- Opposing/nuanced views: The best counterargument, uncertainty, or context that prevents oversimplification.
- What happens next: The forward-looking element—next decision, deadline, investigation, vote, court date, repair schedule, or community meeting.
Example Spine (Template)
LEAD: (person/moment/stat that shows stakes) LEAD SUPPORT: (one more detail that keeps reader with you) NUT GRAF: (what happened + why it matters + what you found) KEY POINT 1: (finding) EVIDENCE: (doc/data) QUOTE: (human impact or expert clarity) KEY POINT 2: (finding) EVIDENCE: (doc/data) QUOTE: (official response) KEY POINT 3: (finding) EVIDENCE: (timeline, policy, oversight) QUOTE: (accountability/critique) OPPOSING/NUANCED VIEW: (best defense, limitations, competing data) WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: (next step + what readers should watch)Choosing Order: Logic Beats Chronology
Chronology can be useful, but many stories read more clearly when organized by reader questions. A practical ordering approach is:
- Start with stakes: What’s happening and who it affects (Impact).
- Explain how it happened: The most supported causes (Causes).
- Show what’s being done: Actions taken and gaps (Response).
- Evaluate fixes: What solutions exist and what evidence supports them (Solutions).
- Clarify responsibility: Rules, oversight, and who had the power to act (Accountability).
Reader-question checklist
- What is happening?
- Who is affected and how?
- How do we know?
- Why did this happen?
- Who is responsible?
- What are they saying and doing now?
- What could change next?
Outlining Activity: Pick the Strongest Material, Cut the Rest
This activity trains you to support a clear story angle with your best facts and quotes—while removing interesting but distracting material.
Step 1: Write a One-Sentence Angle
An angle is the specific way your story answers the central question. Write it as a sentence you can defend with evidence.
- Angle formula: “Because [cause], [problem] is affecting [who/how], and [response/solution] is [what’s happening next].”
Example angle: “Because the city delayed replacing aging pipes, lead levels exceeded limits in two neighborhoods for three months, and residents are now pushing for faster fixes and clearer notification rules.”
Step 2: Create a “Candidate List” of Facts and Quotes
Make a list of 15–25 items from your reporting (facts, stats, document lines, quotes). Keep each item short and specific.
Example candidate list (abbreviated)
- Lab report: lead at 18 ppb on May 12 (limit 15 ppb).
- Lab report: lead at 22 ppb on June 9.
- Policy: public notice required within 30 days of exceedance.
- Email: internal discussion about notice timing (dated July 1).
- Resident quote: “I found out from a neighbor, not the city.”
- Official quote: “We followed guidance and acted as soon as we confirmed results.”
- Budget line: pipe replacement delayed from 2023 to 2025.
- Expert quote: “Short-term filters help, but replacement is the durable fix.”
Step 3: Score Each Item for Usefulness
Use a simple scoring system to avoid choosing items just because they’re dramatic.
| Score | Criteria | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Interesting but off-angle | Does this change the reader’s understanding of the central question? |
| 1 | On-topic but weak/unclear | Is it specific, sourced, and understandable? |
| 2 | Strong support | Does it prove a key finding or raise a necessary nuance? |
| 3 | Essential | Would the story collapse or become unfair without it? |
Step 4: Select Your “Starting Lineup”
Choose:
- 3 key findings (the backbone of the story).
- 6–10 supporting facts (numbers, dates, policy language, timeline points).
- 3–5 quotes with distinct jobs: impact, explanation, response, accountability, and/or solution evaluation.
Quote job labels (write one next to each quote)
- Impact: shows lived experience or consequence.
- Authority/response: states what decision-makers say or do.
- Expert/explanation: clarifies technical points or evaluates claims.
- Accountability: addresses responsibility, oversight, or contradictions.
Step 5: Build the Outline Using the Story Spine
Now place your selected items into the spine. Keep each bullet tied to a finding and its evidence.
LEAD: (Impact quote or vivid verified detail) NUT GRAF: (central question + why it matters + top finding) KEY POINT 1 (Impact): - Fact/stat: - Quote (Impact): KEY POINT 2 (Causes): - Document/timeline: - Quote (Expert/explanation): KEY POINT 3 (Response/Solutions): - What officials are doing + constraints: - Quote (Authority/response): ACCOUNTABILITY: - Policy/oversight detail: - Quote (Accountability): OPPOSING/NUANCED VIEW: - Strongest counterpoint/uncertainty + evidence: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: - Date/decision/next step readers can track:Step 6: Cut Distractions with a “Parking Lot”
Some material is good but not for this story. Create a “parking lot” section at the bottom of your outline and move anything that:
- Doesn’t support the central question or angle.
- Repeats a point you already proved.
- Is too uncertain to publish without more verification.
- Is a fascinating tangent (a different story idea).
This keeps you from deleting useful reporting while protecting the draft from clutter.
Common Outline Problems (and Fixes)
Problem: The outline is a timeline dump
Fix: Convert events into findings and group them by theme. Use chronology only where it proves a point (for example, delay, escalation, missed deadlines).
Problem: Too many key points
Fix: Limit yourself to 3–5 key points. If you have 8, some are supporting evidence, not key points.
Problem: Quotes repeat the same job
Fix: Ensure each quote does something different. If two quotes both express anger, keep the one that is more specific and representative, and use the other only if it adds new information.
Problem: No real opposing view
Fix: Add the strongest credible counterargument or limitation (data uncertainty, policy constraints, competing interpretation) and address it with evidence. This improves fairness and accuracy.
A One-Page Outline You Can Reuse
CENTRAL QUESTION: ANGLE (1 sentence): KEY FINDINGS (3–5): 1) 2) 3) THEMES (ranked bullets under each): Impact: Causes: Response: Solutions: Accountability: STORY SPINE: Lead: Nut graf: Key point 1 + evidence + quote: Key point 2 + evidence + quote: Key point 3 + evidence + quote: Opposing/nuanced view + evidence: What happens next: PARKING LOT (cut/tangents/needs more reporting):
