How to Craft a Lead That Draws Readers In

A strong lead ensures relevance and emotional connection, setting the stage for a compelling narrative.

Source: Chapter 6 - The Art and Craft of Feature Writing [[202408212021]]

HANDLING THE LEAD Don’t hurry the lead. Be thoughtful and try different approaches. Draw the reader in.

Mystery Quote Lead

Omit detail and leave the punch line till later in the story.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Charles Davis says, “My job is like getting kissed a lot. My lips get sore, but I love it.”

Short, quick sentences draw the reader into the scene. At this point, she will pass over details, wanting to be lured in. A mystery helps do this. Even alluding to a mystery draws in the reader.

The mystery could be a motive, an identification, information, data, or an explanation of a general statement.

This is a three-paragraph investment.

In a longer lead, the writer may build suspense by creating a mystery in the first paragraph, solving it only partially in the second, and not lifting the veil all the way until the third.

Action Lede

Go immediately into the action.

What to include in a lede and how to measure quotes

  1. Simplicity
    • Immediately understandable
    • Uncomplicated
    • No explanation
    • Hooked to the next paragraph
    • Punchy
    • Keenly incisive
    • Attractive imagery
    • Regionalisms or slang
    • Variety
  2. Theme Relevance
  3. Intrinsic Interest

    Slice-of-life leads are only as good as the material used. In fact, dull people doing or saying dull things make worse leads than lackluster general openings.

  4. Focus
    • The lede should reflect some central theme or scene in the story. The reader expects the opening example to relate to an important matter treated fully in the body of the tale.
  5. Credibility
  6. Emotional Response

Example

Here come the minicomputers—and, right behind them, here come the crooks.> Within a few lines more, we have seen the scope of the minicomputer invasion and are already learning how the decentralization of data processing these machines make possible is inspiring more embezzlement and other frauds.

The General Lede

  • The general lead conserves focus points and people material when they are sparse.
  • Expressed uniquely and surprisingly.
  • Written last

  • Reformat the central theme

  • Recast numbers to their general values to remove some abstraction.
  • Readers care primarily about facts and action.
  • Each person or scene has to advance the story. Use high standards.

Quotes

  • Trenchancy is the force behind the quote.

    Favor the short and sharp over the long and dull, and trim the statement down to its nubbin of meaning. You may find yourself directly quoting only a single phrase or just one word.

ENDINGS

  • Memorable
  • Rewarding

  • Not too abrupt (Goldilocks)

  • Circling Back
  • Looking Ahead
  • Spreading Out

References

  • Blundell, William E. The art and craft of feature writing: based on the Wall Street Journal guide. 1988.