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Lead Writing

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Abdul Ferran Salamero
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23 views1 page

Lead Writing

Uploaded by

Abdul Ferran Salamero
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction

The lead, or opening paragraph, is the most important part of a news story. With so many sources of
information – newspapers, magazines, TV, radio and the Internet – audiences simply are not willing to
read beyond the first paragraph (and even sentence) of a story unless it grabs their interest. A good
lead does just that. It gives readers the most important information in a clear, concise and interesting
manner. It also establishes the voice and direction of an article.

Tips for Writing a Lead


1. The Five W’s and H: Before writing a lead, decide which aspect of the story – who, what,
when, where, why, how – is most important. You should emphasize those aspects in your
lead. Wait to explain less important aspects until the second or third sentence.
2. Conflict: Good stories have conflict. So do many good leads.
3. Specificity: Though you are essentially summarizing information in most leads, try to be
specific as possible. If your lead is too broad, it won’t be informative or interesting.
4. Brevity: Readers want to know why the story matters to them and they won’t wait long for
the answer. Leads are often one sentence, sometimes two. Generally, they are 25 to 30 words
and should rarely be more than 40. This is somewhat arbitrary, but it’s important – especially
for young journalists – to learn how to deliver information concisely. See the OWL’s page
on concise writing for specific tips. The Paramedic Methodis also good for writing concisely.
5. Active sentences: Strong verbs will make your lead lively and interesting. Passive
constructions, on the other hand, can sound dull and leave out important information, such as
the person or thing that caused the action. Incomplete reporting is often a source of passive
leads.
6. Audience and context: Take into account what your reader already knows. Remember that
in today’s media culture, most readers become aware of breaking news as it happens. If
you’re writing for a print publication the next day, your lead should do more than merely
regurgitate yesterday’s news.
7. Honesty: A lead is an implicit promise to your readers. You must be able to deliver what you
promise in your lead.

What to Avoid
1. Flowery language: Many beginning writers make the mistake of overusing adverbs and
adjectives in their leads. Concentrate instead on using strong verbs and nouns.
2. Unnecessary words or phrases: Watch out for unintentional redundancy. For example, 2
p.m. Wednesday afternoon, or very unique. You can’t afford to waste space in a news story,
especially in the lead. Avoid clutter and cut right to the heart of the story.
3. Formulaic leads: Because a lot of news writing is done on deadline, the temptation to write
tired leads is strong. Resist it. Readers want information, but they also want to be entertained.
Your lead must sound genuine, not merely mechanical.
4. It: Most editors frown on leads that begin with the word it because it is not precise and
disorients the reader.

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