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Lead Paragraphs. Good leads begin stories. Bad leads can finish them. If the first couple of sentences don't make the reader feel helplessly curious and compelled to continue, your body copy won't be read. Leads can tease, startle, amuse - anything that will invoke the reader's curiosity .
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Lead Paragraphs • Good leads begin stories. Bad leads can finish them. If the first couple of sentences don't make the reader feel helplessly curious and compelled to continue, your body copy won't be read. • Leads can tease, startle, amuse - anything that will invoke the reader's curiosity. • Just remember, don’t overdo it or say something so outrageous that you lose your credibility.
Types of leads (Quotes) Direct quotation form a person involved in the story- Consists of a speaker's exact words; only used if the quotation is unique and attention-getting.Example from an article claiming teachers work students too hard and this is physically putting a strain on the modern teen. "You immediately blush and look around to see if anyone noticed you," said senior Julie Lange. "Then you do it again and end up concentrating so hard on keeping your eyes open instead of what is going one." Allusion to a famous person that has no direct connection to the news event but is comment links to the themes explored-consists more frequently of a quotation or reference to a literary, historical or mythological character; use only when reference is natural and appropriate.Example from an article arguing for greater taxes on petrol across the world. “To be or not to be? That is the question for petrol driven cars .....” Anecdote- Personal story to lead into larger theme. “When I was at University, all my essays were handwritten. I would painstakingly craft each word because my lecturer refused to mark poor spelling.”
Leads Atmospheric-sets the scene and helps people imagine how it feels to be in a certain environment.Example from an article debating the relevance of single sex schools in society “It’s 3pm on a warm summers day as 200 immaculately uniformed girls file out of the heavily carved oak doors of St. Cuthbert’s preparatory school and come to rest on lawns are manicured right up to the stones of the 300 year old building. There is a excited buzz of chatter as...” Staccato Lead -This type uses a series of phrases or sentences that produce a rhythm. It is another dramatic way of introducing the topic of the feature article. Example from an article claiming love does not truly exist for teens anymore“Call it infatuation. Obsession. Illusion. Call it a dream, a nightmare, but don’t call it love!”
Leads Controversial definition or statement- State your thesis in a highly emotive fashion Example from an article dismissing the current trend for tattoos and multiple earrings. “Ear piercing, the most common form of mutilation today.” Comparison/contrast - used to point out extremes; must be sharp and vivid.Example questioning the election of Paul GerringPapa Smurf guided all smurfs with kindly, ineffectual words. Napoleon tried to conquer the world by accepting only his own words. Paul Gerring has quoted both these leaders in the lead up to the recent parliamentary elections. The fact that our new Deputy Prime Minster identifies with short, authoritarian leader surely must be cause for concern. Suspended interest- consists of several sentences in which the reader's interest is intensified as he continues to read.“Create a human pyramid. Sing an aria. Attempt to break a world record. All in a week’s planning for a student assembly if they are to impress. These weekly get togethers have become three act plays that take away from valuable in-class time.”.
Leads Question- never in yes/no form and only used when the question is the heart of the story; it is set off in a paragraph by itself. “What is a nuclear threat? This is a question I suspect we shall be arguing over increasingly often in the coming months. For Israeli prime minister EhudOlmert the answer - as delivered by him to the US Congress on Wednesday - is very simple.” Perspective- Place people in the position of another “Imagine, for a moment, that you are an Iranian mullah. Sitting crosslegged on your Persian rug in Tehran, sipping a cup of chai, you glance up at the map of the Middle East on the wall. It is a disturbing image: your country, the Islamic Republic of Iran, is surrounded on all sides by virulent enemies and regional rivals, both nuclear and non-nuclear.” Gimmick-a gimmick lead, usually having a bizarre meaning. “Eenie, meenie, minee, moe ... it came down to an individual decisionbut effected millions.”
Narrative hook- tells a fictitious story. “Once upon a time there used to be a land of happy workers who loved working from 9 to 5.” Parody - consists most frequently of a play on words of a well-known song, poem, quotation, book or motion picture title; use only when parody is appropriate, easily recognized and not trite. “Thought for food and none left over. A new menu for the school has left many ISM students feeling rather empty. “ Satirical-this example makes fun of students by exposing their lack of good sense, understanding or foresight. “Jumping off a cliff was easier than climbing down. Reading Cliff Notes was easier than reading the book.”
