Wall Street Journal Style

Wall Street Journal Formula

1. The story typically opens with a specific example presented in an anecdotal, descriptive or narrative lede.
2. The nut graph relates the example to a more general point and explains what the story is about.
3. The body of the story provides support for the general point.
   
4. The story typically ends with another anecdote or description story or speculates on a future development related to the lede.

Example:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125288517883707275.html

New York Times article, "Coming Out in Middle School," by Benoit Denizet-Lewis is a very long feature story consisting of nine pages about the struggle young teens experience in discovering their homosexuality or bisexuality.

The article starts with off with a narrative lede, telling the true story of a young boy named Austin who is 13 years old and claims he is gay. We learn about Austin and his boyfriend and how Austin's boyfriend struggles with telling his parents about his sexuality.

We then learn about a program called Openarms which is there for those who have newly "come out." The journalist writes about what she observes and quotes another boy, Laddie. By the ninth paragraph the journalist finally reveals the nutgraph. He or she tells you why you should care about what she is writing about and why these adolescents' stories are important.

The nutgraph says, "I heard similar accounts from those who work with gay youth all across the country. Though most adolescents who come out do so in high school, sex researchers and counselors say that middle-school students are increasingly coming out to friends or family or to an adult in school. Just how they’re faring in a world that wasn’t expecting them — and that isn’t so sure a 12-year-old can know if he’s gay — is a complicated question that defies simple geographical explanations. Though gay kids in the South and in rural areas tend to have a harder time than those on the coasts, I met gay youth who were doing well in socially conservative areas like Tulsa and others in progressive cities who were afraid to come out."

The article ends with a narrative ending with a quote from Austin's mom.