Lead by Example

great

lead by example

Or how to write better leads that will hook your readers

Start

4- Shock

3- Quotation

6- Narrative

2- Descriptive

1- Leads?

5- Question

The types of leads

Leads?

What are leads? Why use them at all?

Leads

Leads serve to introduce the controlling idea of your article to the reader, but they AREN'T typical introductions. Their purpose is to grab the reader's attention in a unique way and ease them into the angle and controlling chosen for the topic. Leads are creative and generally fun to read (and write). There is no "one-size-fits-all" pattern to leads; you should try and tailor yours to your topic, angle, controlling idea and, of course, your own style and personality.

+ info

Leads (2)

Humour: Jokes and puns are a good way to attract attention, all the while setting a light tone for what is to come. Anecdotes: These help set up the issue, they give the readers something to grasp. Through examples, anecdotes help the reader visualize the issue. Description: A description​ of a situation, event, or feeling conveys lots of emotion. Facts and/or statistics: Presented with punch, these can immediately interest a reader into wanting to know more. ​​ - AllôProf.com

Think of including:

There are many ways to get a reaction out of your reader, but it's easy to get lost and write something that won't keep the reader's attention for long. Today, we will see a few types of lead that are tried and proven and will help you structure your approach. 1. Descriptive lead 2. Quotation lead 3. Shocking statement lead 4. Question lead 5. Narrative lead Your lead should ALWAYS contain your angle and controlling idea in some way. Without those, the reader will be disoriented and will stop reading.

(That's a sidebar)

Descriptive lead

Eyes, ears, mouth and nose!

Descriptive Lead

A type of lead that uses descriptive writing. Duh. - Put the readers in the action. Let them see an event or scene as someone witnessing it would have seen it. - This should cause an emotiononal response (so choose wisely what to describe). This will also help your reader better connect with the issue at hand.

Imagine it: you close your eyes and feel a faint breeze on your skin. The steady sound of waves comforts you. You inhale; in comes the fresh, saline air, tinged with the musty smell of drying algae... and something else. Something's rotting, something's wrong. You open your eyes to find the beach littered with used plastic bottles washed up by the tides, covering the greenery. Mind your step: you could cut yourself on some of the refuse. Welcome to the future of afternoons at the beach. In 2017, more than 200 million tons of waste have had to be removed from public beaches, and the amount is growing ever larger...

Quotation lead

From the horse's mouth

Quotation Lead

A type of lead centered around a quote. Duh. - Choose your quote carefully. - Represents the angle and topic well. - Engages the reader personally. - Provide context around it: why did you choose this quote?

"I had fought on behalf of men against the sea, but I realised that it had become more urgent to fight men on behalf of the sea". Shook by the death of sailors when he was young, Alain Bombard, marine biologist, spent his entire life studying how to survive at sea before realising that the sea itself had something to fear about us too. In 2017, more than 200 million tons of waste have had to be removed from public beaches, and the amount is growing ever larger...

- Genially

shocking statement lead

This could save your life...

Shocking Statement Lead

A type of lead that aims to shock the reader. Duh. - Use statistics. - Use drama. - Address the reader directly. - Create urgency.

Did you know? People who go swimming at sea for around an hour these days are unknowingly swallowing around a whole gram of plastics. Full disclaimer: this fact is completely made up, but it made you think, didn't it? Our oceans are getting increasingly dirty, and our beaches are not faring much better. One day, this blatant lie could become true. In 2017, more than 200 million tons of waste have had to be removed from public beaches, and the amount is growing ever larger...

- Genially

Question lead

I know! Wait... no I don't.

Question Lead

A type of lead that mainly asks a question. Duh. - Make your reader think. - Address your reader directly. - "What if"? - Tease an element of your article(the answer may surprise you!)(but actually answer it later)

Pop quiz! How many tons of plastics are currently floating in our oceans? If your answer was: "a whole lot", you may be somewhat close to the truth. In fact, the actual amount is much, much more than that. But with all that pollution in our oceans, how is it possible for us to enjoy a day at the beach? In 2017, more than 200 million tons of waste have had to be removed from public beaches, and the amount is growing ever larger...

- Genially

Narrative lead

Why are we here... just to suffer?

Narrative Lead

A type of lead that tells a story. Duh. - You're the narrator. - It doesn't need to really have happened to you (in case you lead a boring life). - Pick an event that was a consequence (or the cause) of your topic. - You can use "I" here, but be careful...

Can I Mix and Match?

Write in your own style! Those types of leads are general structures for you to follow, an aspect to focus on in order to get started. That doesn't mean it is impossible for you to, for instance, include questions in a shocking statement. After all, it would be hard to have a narrative lead without descriptions... Have fun writing!