When to use
- Writing news articles, briefs, or headlines
- Editing drafts for publication
- Converting interview notes into publishable copy
- Writing press releases or media advisories
- Creating social media posts for news content
What's included
Number rules
When to spell out vs. use numerals for ages, percentages, money, and addresses.
Attribution guidelines
Use "said" not "stated." Attribution after quotes, at natural pauses.
Dates and times
Month abbreviations, time formatting (9 a.m. not 9:00 AM), and day references.
Lede construction
Inverted pyramid, 35-word limit, and types of ledes for different story formats.
Numbers quick reference
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Spell out one through nine | "three witnesses" not "3 witnesses" |
| Numerals for 10 and above | "15 people attended" |
| Always numerals for ages | "a 5-year-old girl" |
| Always numerals for percentages | "5 percent" (spell out "percent") |
| Always numerals for money | "$5 million" not "five million dollars" |
Common word choices
more than
Instead of "over" for quantities. "More than 100 people attended."
said
Instead of "stated," "remarked," or "noted." Keep attribution simple.
fewer
For countable items. Use "less" for mass nouns. "Fewer people" vs. "less water."
that / which
"That" for restrictive clauses (essential). "Which" with comma for nonrestrictive (extra info).
Red flags to avoid
- "Very" or "extremely" in news copy
- Exclamation points in hard news
- Unattributed opinions
- Passive voice hiding who did what
- Starting sentences with "There is" or "There are"
Installation
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jamditis/claude-skills-journalism.git
# Copy the skill to your Claude config
cp -r claude-skills-journalism/newsroom-style ~/.claude/skills/
Or download just this skill from the GitHub repository.
Related skills
Write like a pro
AP Style rules, attribution guidelines, and formatting standards in one skill.
View on GitHub