The Lead

1
The Lead
2
The Lead

• The lead gives the reader the sense of the story
  to follow.
• There are two basic types of leads.
• Direct Lead.
• Tells the reader or listener the most important
  aspect of the story at once.
• Usually used in breaking news.
• Delayed Lead
• Entices the reader or listener by hinting at
  story contents.
• Often used with feature stories.

3
Finding a Lead

• The lead should contain one idea.
• Should follow the subject-verb-object sentence
  structure.
• Should not exceed 35 words.

4
The Lead

• Should capture the essence of the event.
• Cajole the reader into staying awhile
• We slept last night in the enemys camp.
• The million-to-one shot came in. Hell froze
  over. A month of Sundays hit the calendar. Don
  Larsen today pitched a no-hit, no-run,
  no-man-reach-first game in a World Series.
• What price glory? Two eyes, two legs, one arm.
  120 a month.

5
Great Beginnings

• Lure in the reader
• In the beginning God created the heavens and the
  earth
• It was the best of times, it was the worst of
  times.
• It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a
  single man in possession of a good fortune, must
  be in want of a wife.
• Call me Ishmael.

6
Locating the lead

• A struggle
• Set out the facts.
• What is the focus of the story

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Importance of the Lead

• Just start writing and the lead will come.
• No.
• The story flows from the lead.
• Writing the lead concentrates the mind
• Makes the writer decide what is important.
• What will you stress.
• Use anecdotes, illustrations and quotes to
  support your lead.

8
Finding the lead.

• A thief broke into an auto parts store and store
  a batch of batteries.
• Thieves who entered a Charlotte auto parts store
  stole 36 Delco batteries, police were told
  yesterday.
• What if it happened in broad daylight. When the
  store was open. If the thief scaled a 15-foot
  wall. If thief left a note saying he was
  stealing it to get money for his sick child.
• The most important elements should be in the lead.

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Finding the Lead

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
• How

10
Burying the Lead

• Common problem
• Main idea is swimming somewhere in the body of
  the story rather than placed in the lead.
• The Student Council met last night to discuss and
  adopt next years budget.
• The university has changed its stand on admission
  policies and will put them into effect in two
  years.

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The Problem

• Dont ignore the most important facts, basic idea
  or theme.
• Dont delay the lead for dramatic effect.
• Especially for straightforward news stories.

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How reporters think leads

• What was unique or the most important or unusual
  thing that happened?
• Who was involved who did it or who said it?
• After answering these, seek words and a form that
  will give shape by asking three more questions.
• Is it direct or delayed theme
• Is there a colorful word or dramatic phrase I can
  use?
• Who is the actor? What is the action? Who is
  the acted upon?

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Types of Leads

• The Direct Lead
• Workhorse of journalism
• Used on most stories
• Focuses on the theme of the event in the first
  paragraph.
• Usually contain
• Specific information about what happened or what
  was said.
• When the event occurred.
• The location of the event.
• The source of the information.

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Kickers

• Leads for breaking or hard news stories
• Back into the story.
• It is the murder of her fourth husband that got
  Margaret Elkin in trouble. She is accused of
  trying to hire a beekeeper to kill him. The
  trial is set for September 9.

15
Delayed Lead

• Features and news features
• Not developing or fast-breaking events
• Sets a scene and evokes a mood
• Uses an incident, anecdote or example.

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Lead Length

• Shorter sentence
• More direct information.
• Adhere to 35 word limit.
• If move beyond 20 25 words, start to trim.
• Unnecessary attribution
• Compound sentences joined by but and and.
• Exact dates and times, unless essential
• Prepositional phrases and dependent clauses.