Journalists Use ‘5W1H’ for Engaging Content. It’s Simple. You Should Too
Who is the star of your text, what are they doing and why, where and when did it take place and how did it happen?
What is the 5W1H Structure And Why Does it Matter
Your task as a writer, is to guide your reader through your text. They have to be able to scan your headline and know what you’re on about. Read the subheads, and again, get it. Read the first sentence of a paragraph and understand it.
That’s exactly what the 5W1H structure helps you to do.
The 5W1H structure is fundamental for clarity in writing. It allows you to answer the ‘who, what, when, where, why and how’ systematically.
If you, as a a writer, are clear about these 6 elements, it’s far easier for you to write the rest of your article. As a result, it’s extremely simple for your reader to understand what it is about and why it should matter to them.
So in effect, you’re allowing yourself to be crystal clear. As I wrote a couple of days ago, journaling or reflecting helps you in gain clarity on why you write. You can then take the 5W1H framework to create stories that are a breeze to read.
