Usually, a novice writer finds it hard to start writing the first paragraph. Therefore, the beginner should understand the SPOA (Subject, Predicate, Object, Adverb) formula.
The statement was addressed by the managing editor of hutanpapua.id and Fokus Papua, Alberth “Abe” Yomo. He elaborated 5 tricks to write short news to the participants of Youth Camp in Sentani, Wednesday 15 June 2022.
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First of all, as to Abe, everyone has studied the formula here at school on the subject, verb, object, and adverb. The formula will help a lot to start a line in the first paragraph.
Second tip is the 5W1H formula. The second here could be combined with the first tips of 4W, What, Who, Where, and When, is the most frequently used to compose the first paragraph. Then, 1H, How, is used for elaborating a context of an event.
“When the first paragraph is done, it will commonly help ease the second and next paragraph as they will elaborate the Why and How,” said Abe.
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Third tip is to know the writing structure as if a human body. It implies that the first to the closing paragraphs should be interrelated like the connection of head to toe. “A writing should be structured so the readers have complete understanding of the messages written in the work,” he added.
The fourth tip, a writer must not pose him/herself as an editor, but rather the writer. Many novice writers spending hours sitting with laptops but have never accomplished their works. “Just type the whole content till end. Editing or elimination is the editor’s job,” he said.
The fifth tip a writer should have is reading. A lot of reading and studying the writing formats from major media will broaden a writer’s insights before practicing to write.
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“If we fail to start, we will never work it out well. If we fail to write frequently, it will not surely become a good writer. So, start writing a lot,” he said.
As to Abe, the five practical tips here will help ease the Youth Camp participants to express their worries and concerns with environmental issues through writing. The messages written through a piece of writing will reach extensive readers with wider audiences. Moreover, the piece, if it has strong and good message, could be published in mainstream media. Good writings could even become a way or bridge to open someone’s opportunity to work as a journalist which provides income.
Abe offered the participants who were seriously to write short news on environmental and indigenous people issues in Papua will have ready channels to publish the works.
Editor: Nur Alfiyah & Leo Wahyudi
