The average journalist writing a juicy story follows a blueprint that ensures their readers will stay satisfied. This proven structure, “The Inverted Pyramid,” has all the same information as any other story. But the inverted pyramid places importance on making the lede happen during the first few lines.

Read more to see why the inverted pyramid is important and why your writing skills will be amplified because you have followed the same structure. 

*(And if you need your novel professionally edited, you can check out my SERVICES page for more information.)

History of the Inverted Pyramid

Though debatable, rumor has it that journalists began using the inverted pyramid style of writing during the American Civil War (1861-1865). And as with every other change in human history, this was the grand effect of technology, too—specifically, the use of the telegraph. News reporters on the front lines of the battles used the telegraphs to tell the most vital information first because of the constant threat of their transmission being cut off before the full message could be sent. Hence, the structure to begin stories with the juiciest facts came first with the least special info at the end. 

The introduction of this method forced writers to produce shorter sentences with less flare and pizzaz to their descriptions. The articles were straight to the point, combining the 5 W’s (WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY) within the very first few lines of the story. 

By the Numbers vs. Inverted

Chronological 

To state it simply, any journalist writing a breaking news story in a chronological is doing themselves a disservice.

Why?

Because they are putting the most important information that the readers want now somewhere other than the beginning. Writing chronologically tends to sometimes mimic the way fiction writers narrate their short stories. They present a kernel of info at the beginning and draw it out over time until the end when the big twist comes. Journalists using chronological methods tend to do the same.

These stories are slower than the inverted style. And they only work if the reader finishes the story to find out the biggest kernel of info. This way forces the reader to endure whatever the writer has in store. The writer is in total control of the way the reader learns the info. If the writer wants to place irrelevant info about date or time or anything else, you, the reader, will have no choice about it. You must read that first before anything else. Not cool. And to think, writers used the style for many years before the inverted style took its prominence in journalism. 

Inverted Pyramid

With this style, the writer puts the “big twist”—meaning the info that matters most to the reader—first before anything else. 

This style allows the writer to summarize the story first and allow for cuttable elements of information as the story goes on. The reader can scan the article quickly, getting the juiciest stuff from the get-go. You are satisfying the reader’s thirst for news gossip this way, which is good because it will mean that the reader will likely come back to your site again. 

But equally as important (though not really brought up) is the way that the inverted pyramid style trains you to write the articles. You will begin to organize all your articles this way, which will tighten your writing and will keep your readers coming back for more. 

How to Use the Inverted Pyramid

As I mentioned before, the info at the bottom of the inverted pyramid can always be cut away, if necessary. Most times, the bottom info is just not needed and editors may cut it because they must preserve layout design or it just rehashes some prior info. Whatever the reason, the last section can usually go. 

That is because the pros of the inverted pyramid style are so grand, editors already have a ready-made story. 

Once the lede in the first paragraph establishes the 5 W’s, the second paragraph embellishes on those points, by adding more descriptive details about the lede. The third paragraph will do the same. There will be quotes involved, as well. Some inverted pyramid articles may start with a quote, but it is not typical. And it is not necessarily wrong to begin a story with a quote, but it limits the amount of space in the first paragraph to develop the lede with the 5 W’s. 

Once you have written the article, I highly suggest you go back and re-read it several times. Have others revise it, too, especially your editor. When you revise it, pay close attention to all the details there to make sure they all play a special part in the narrative of the story.

  • Are they relevant?
  • Do they say something new or just rehash info already said?
  • Are the details supplemental facts or are they absolutely necessary to the story? (if you are not sure, then they can probably be deleted)

Writers against the Inverted Pyramid

Some journalists out there…they just don’t like the inverted pyramid. Who knows why? Perhaps they feel it pressures them to write a certain way. Maybe they want to write long, boring articles where the story doesn’t get going until the jump page. They want control of the reader’s attention. Well, what they don’t understand is that the reader has true control. And if the reader is made bored because the writer has produced an uninteresting article, then it is their fault—not the readers. Journalists like these should only be allowed to write features and editorials, not breaking news stories. 

Here are some things they might not appreciate about the inverted pyramid style:

  • Same old same old style
    • It is the repetition that does them in. After a while, the same structure is boring to them. And I can understand that point. Doing anything the same way for a long time is boring. But again, to reiterate my point, the reader likes it this way. And that is all that counts.
  • The structure can get messy, too
    • Not always, but for some writers, the inverted pyramid can amount to an article that can stretch on for too long with irrelevant facts. That is why you need good judgment and good editors to catch this problem before it happens to you. The formula can get lazy. Before you know it, every one of your stories begins with a date in the first sentence—BORING!

To Conclude

Using the inverted pyramid is not useful for every story, of course. Breaking news stories and news briefs will use this style. Any stories that are under one-thousand words will use the inverted pyramid style, although there are always exceptions to the rule. For more info about inverted pyramids, click here

And if you have a manuscript that you think might need some editing before sending it out to a literary agent or before you self-publish it, you can check out my SERVICES page to hire me as your book editor.

You can check out my YouTube channel where I talk about creative writing and editing. Click here to visit. 

And if you want to amplify the suspense in your short story or your novel, you can purchase my eBook here

Get edited. Get published.

~M