Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t, but a nut graf is a good idea even if you aren’t hungry.
The nut graf offers readers a quick explanation of the article and helps explain the lede. Sometimes it might be background information on an ongoing topic. It’s where you say in as few words as possible, why this article is important. If your reader only reads the lede and nut graf of your article, they at least know the basics.
Of course, you want them to read more than just the lede and the nut graf, but you want to get as much information to them as possible while still writing well and making it interesting. That’s a tall order for anyone and, of course, I forgot to mention you will be working on a very tight deadline in order to get all of this accomplished.
So what is a nut graf? Well, graf is short for paragraph. So the nut graf, is the meat (or nut) paragraph in your article. It’s the paragraph that gives you the rundown quickly about the article. Why isn’t it called the meat graf? Who knows! By the way, some may spell it “nut graph.”
When you write the lede, you make a promise to your readers. With the nut graf you fulfill that promise. Did the lede say someone died? The nut graf will answer how he died and then you’ll give the details.
Here’s an example of an opening lede and nut graf:
FRANKENMUTH — On Saturday, Dianne Szostak clutched a shopping bag, pleased to have found a sculpture of a fairy for her herb garden. On Sunday, she clutched a .38-caliber revolver.
Welcome to Michigan Shop and Shoot, which was held over the weekend in this Bavarian-themed tourist town about 80 miles north of Detroit.
Do you see how the nut graf immediately answers the reader’s questions raised by the lede? By saving the “nuts and bolts” for the second paragraph, you are able to write an article that is more interesting to the reader.
Now there can be more than one “nut graf” that gives basic facts. For instance, the third paragraph of the article I use as an example, explains more about the event such as who sponsors it and how many attended.
Whenever you write an article, there is going to be information you have to convey that is straight facts. You want to be very careful with how you present the information. You don’t want to over do the cutesy ledes or use them inappropriately. (Don’t use cutesy ledes in articles where people die and/or seriously injured.)
You’ll often see the lede and nut graf combination in stories about crimes and arrests. The lede will mention the crime while the nut graf will name the suspect.
Here’s an example:
A Michigan man pulled over for drunk driving tried and tried again when he attempted to flee police not just once, but twice.
John Doe of Anywhere was arrested Sunday for drunk driving and two counts of fleeing and eluding police. Doe was arraigned in District Court Sunday and is currently lodged in Anywhere County jail.
Practice writing strong ledes and nut grafs. Read through your local newspapers and find examples of nut grafs that work and don’t work. Analyze the reasons. Did the nut graf fulfill the lede’s promise?
