How to create a great story
Get ready. The story you're about to create might be the next big thing across Malaysia's social networks. The sky's the limit, but here are the bare necessities of any story that's destined for greatness.
1. Choose a piece of news
What's up today in your local community, the world, or on the Internet? Need ideas? Search news sites, see what your friends are sharing on Facebook, check Twitter #trends!
TIP! While we love the diversity of the stories created by everyone, our priority is for news discussions and interesting topics on: politics, technology, entertainment, sports and lifestyle.
2. Type a tight headline!
Write a headline that best describes your story, keeping it to 90 characters max. A great headline will make people visit and share your story even more!
Example: "Top Tech Gadgets Featured at CES 2012". Not so great: "CES 2012". You can even put a question as the headline!
TIP! Have a look at the headlines of Featured Stories for good examples.
3. Pick the best cover
Choose a cover image that fills up the entire cover – it should be crisp and clear. Do not choose an advertisement or an image that isn't relevant to your headline. 'Never judge a book by its cover' might have worked really well in the 19th century, but truth be told, the cover image could make or break your story!
4. Fill it up with many good things!
Many = a minimum of four sources. Think of your story as a mash-up of multiple angles of your topic: videos, images, excerpts. Give people what they wouldn't normally see in one article alone - the context of the news!
TIP! If any content is spam, explicit, pornographic or hateful, it will be removed. Also, advertisements and promotions on products and services are not allowed in a story. Keep it clean!
TIP! One story, one topic - A great story is one that focuses on a single topic, so people won't get confused!
5. Spark a discussion
Find out what others think! The information is all yours! Lots of people may be shy to be the first to post up a comment, so as the creator of a story, why not start the ball rolling!
6. Broadcast the news!
A story that's great has the ability to shape ideas and shake the world. Share it out, broadcast your story and make it known!
