Perfecting a proper nut graf

I may very well be alone here, but I'm struggling with the stagnation of my nut grafs. They're okay, and my ledes are really thriving, but I hit a block when it gets to the expository section of my article between the guts and the intro. I've gotten really loose with this part of my articles and I feel that if I did a better job with it I'd have a better entree into the nuts and bolts of what I'm really trying to say. The real meat of the story would be enhanced by the connective tissue between the entry-point and the substantive bulk, if that makes any sense.

Let me do this now.

In the above AP story opener, which I think is fantastic, the bold piece (I'd say) serves as a reasonable nut graf, considering that most reading this story already know the principals and likely already know the outcome. Its understated but informative, linking but not ostentatious, flows but doesn't stand out. I don't say this to praise this particular story per se but to point out what I'd like to do more. Unfortunately it's not as easy as reading a well-written AP piece and simply "doing it." Not for me anyway.

How do you approach your nut grafs, your entry-points into the story? On minor features in particular I'm becoming way too formulaic and I'd love to read up on some new approaches.

 

Spud: We have different definitions of "nut graf."

To me a nut graf is an explainer, say something about what a "mill rate" actually is.

Example: You're rewriting an AP story about a local kid who had a homer, a double and three RBI in a Major League baseball game.

MacDonald, who played at East Lyme High School, has been with the Blue Jays for three years and is in his 11th season in the majors.

That explains why you're doing the story.

HS football playoff points merit a nut graf.

 

There are lots of nut grafs on the Politics board.