4.1 Types of Leads and Their Functions
3 min read•july 30, 2024
Leads are the gateway to your news story, grabbing readers' attention and setting the tone. From summary leads that deliver key facts to narrative leads that paint a vivid picture, each type serves a unique purpose in storytelling.
Choosing the right lead is crucial for engaging your audience. Consider your story's genre, main focus, and target audience. Craft your lead with concise language, strong verbs, and vivid imagery to readers and keep them wanting more.
Types of news leads
Common lead structures
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- provides key information in the first paragraph (who, what, when, where, why, and how)
- uses a brief story to introduce the main topic (often employed in feature stories)
- poses a thought-provoking query to engage readers
- begins with a direct quote that encapsulates the story's essence
- juxtaposes two opposing ideas to highlight the story's significance
- describes a specific location to immerse readers in the context
- withholds key information to create suspense
Specialized lead techniques
- tells a story to draw readers into the article
- opens with a striking number or data point related to the story
- compares the story's subject to something familiar to readers
- begins with a relevant past event to provide context
- Descriptive lead uses vivid imagery to paint a picture for the reader
- hints at the story's content without revealing everything upfront
- combines two or more short sentences to convey complex information
Purpose of leads
Informational functions
- Summary lead quickly informs readers of crucial information within seconds
- Anecdotal lead humanizes news stories by providing relatable examples
- Question lead stimulates curiosity and critical thinking
- Quotation lead lends authenticity by showcasing key figures' words
- Contrast lead emphasizes significance by highlighting disparities
- Scene-setting lead creates a vivid mental image for readers
- Delayed identification lead builds suspense and maintains reader interest
Engagement strategies
- Capture readers' attention within the first few seconds
- Entice readers to continue reading the full article
- Establish the tone and mood of the story
- Provide a clear entry point into complex or lengthy articles
- Highlight the most newsworthy or compelling aspect of the story
- Create an emotional connection with the reader
- Simplify complex topics to make them more accessible
Choosing the right lead
Story considerations
- Evaluate the story's genre (breaking news, feature, investigative report)
- Determine the story's main focus and most important aspect
- Assess the story's emotional impact and significance
- Examine the story's complexity and need for simplification
- Consider the urgency and timeliness of the information
- Analyze available information and supporting details
- Identify unique angles or perspectives within the story
Audience factors
- Assess target audience preferences and expectations
- Consider readers' prior knowledge of the subject matter
- Evaluate the audience's attention span and reading habits
- Determine the most effective way to connect with readers emotionally
- Consider cultural context and sensitivities
- Analyze the platform where the story will be published (print, online, mobile)
- Evaluate the potential for reader engagement and interaction
Crafting effective leads
Writing techniques
- Prioritize the most newsworthy or compelling information
- Use concise, clear language to convey information efficiently
- Incorporate strong, active verbs (exploded, unveiled, transformed)
- Create vivid imagery through descriptive language
- Ensure the lead's tone matches the overall story (serious, light-hearted, investigative)
- Strive for originality, avoiding clichés and overused phrases
- Craft leads proportional to the story's length (typically 25-30 words for news articles)
Refinement and optimization
- Review leads for accuracy, clarity, and impact
- Eliminate unnecessary words or redundant information
- Verify that the lead addresses the story's primary focus
- Ensure consistency between the lead and the body of the article
- Test different lead types to find the most effective approach
- Seek feedback from colleagues or editors on lead effectiveness
- Revise and refine the lead based on new information or developments in the story
Key Terms to Review (25)
Active Voice: Active voice is a grammatical structure where the subject of the sentence performs the action of the verb, creating a clear and direct sentence. This style often enhances clarity and engagement in writing, making it particularly effective in various journalistic contexts.
Analogy Lead: An analogy lead is a journalistic writing technique that compares one situation to another, making complex or unfamiliar topics more relatable and understandable for readers. By drawing parallels between two different subjects, this type of lead helps set the tone and context of the story while engaging the audience's interest from the outset.
Anecdotal lead: An anecdotal lead is a storytelling technique used in journalism where a brief, engaging narrative or personal story is presented at the beginning of an article to capture the reader's interest. This type of lead is effective for drawing readers in by providing a relatable or compelling scenario that sets the stage for the broader topic being discussed. It often humanizes the story and allows the audience to connect emotionally with the subject matter.
Attention-grabbing: Attention-grabbing refers to the ability of a lead in news writing to capture the reader's interest immediately. This concept is crucial because a strong opening can entice readers to engage with the story, encouraging them to read further. Various techniques are employed to achieve this, such as using compelling facts, emotional appeals, or vivid imagery, all of which play a vital role in effective news reporting.
Breaking news lead: A breaking news lead is an opening sentence or paragraph in a news article that conveys the most important information about a recent and significant event. This type of lead aims to grab the reader's attention immediately, providing essential details like who, what, when, where, and why, often in a clear and concise manner. It reflects the urgency of the news while delivering critical facts that set the stage for the rest of the story.
Conciseness: Conciseness refers to the quality of being brief and to the point while conveying essential information without unnecessary words or details. This principle is crucial in journalism, as it helps to capture readers' attention and maintain their interest by delivering clear and straightforward messages. Being concise enhances readability and ensures that the core message stands out, making it easier for audiences to grasp the main ideas quickly.
Contextualization: Contextualization is the process of placing information within its relevant context to enhance understanding and meaning. In newswriting, it involves providing background information, details about circumstances, and explanations that help readers grasp the significance of a story. This technique is vital for creating leads that draw in the audience and for covering breaking news by offering insights into ongoing stories.
Contrast lead: A contrast lead is a type of news lead that juxtaposes two opposing ideas or situations to grab the reader's attention and highlight the differences between them. This style of lead is effective in drawing in readers by presenting a striking contrast, often reflecting conflict or significant change in a story. By placing contrasting elements side by side, it sets the stage for deeper exploration of the topic, emphasizing the tension between the two sides.
Delayed Identification Lead: A delayed identification lead is a style of opening sentence in news writing that withholds the name of a key person or subject until later in the story. This approach aims to engage readers with compelling details before revealing the identity, creating suspense and encouraging them to continue reading for more information. It is particularly effective when the person being discussed may not be immediately recognized by the audience, allowing for a gradual build-up of context.
Feature Lead: A feature lead is a storytelling technique used in journalism that focuses on engaging the reader's emotions, senses, or imagination rather than just presenting the basic facts. It sets the tone for a more in-depth exploration of a topic, often incorporating vivid descriptions and a narrative style to draw readers in. This type of lead is typically used in feature articles where the goal is to provide a rich and engaging experience, making the subject relatable and interesting.
Hard lead: A hard lead is a straightforward and factual opening sentence in a news story that delivers the most critical information immediately. This type of lead emphasizes the who, what, when, where, and sometimes why or how of the story, ensuring that readers quickly grasp the essential facts. Hard leads are vital for engaging readers and providing clarity in news writing, as they set the tone for the rest of the article and help to convey urgency.
Historical Lead: A historical lead is a type of news lead that places an event or story within a broader historical context, highlighting its significance and relevance to past events. This approach helps readers understand how current happenings relate to historical trends or occurrences, often providing a richer narrative and deeper insight into the implications of the story.
Hook: A hook is an engaging opening sentence or phrase in news writing that captures the reader's attention and encourages them to read further. It serves as a critical element in various leads and nut graphs, drawing in the audience by presenting a compelling angle or intriguing detail that highlights the significance of the story.
Informative: Informative refers to the quality of conveying clear, relevant, and factual information to the audience. In newswriting, this characteristic is crucial for leads, which are designed to grab readers' attention while delivering essential facts that summarize the story's main points. A strong informative lead sets the tone for the rest of the article and ensures readers quickly understand what the story is about.
Inverted Pyramid: The inverted pyramid is a writing style often used in journalism where the most important information is presented at the beginning of the story, followed by supporting details and background information. This structure allows readers to quickly grasp the main points of the news, which is especially useful in today's fast-paced media environment.
Multi-sentence lead: A multi-sentence lead is a style of opening a news story that uses more than one sentence to convey the main points or critical elements of the story. This approach allows journalists to provide more context and detail right at the beginning, setting up a clearer picture of the events or issues at hand, especially when the story is complex or requires additional background information.
Narrative lead: A narrative lead is a type of introductory sentence in journalism that tells a story, drawing readers in with a compelling anecdote or scene rather than just stating facts. This style emphasizes character and action, allowing the reader to engage emotionally and visualize the situation right from the beginning. By using a narrative lead, writers can create an immersive experience that sets the tone for the entire piece and connects with the audience on a deeper level.
Nut graf: A nut graf is a paragraph in a news story that explains the main point or theme, often situated after the lead. It serves to provide context and answers the essential questions about why the story matters, connecting the reader to the broader significance of the topic. This element is crucial in newswriting, particularly for readers who may not have time to read the entire piece but still want to grasp its importance.
Question Lead: A question lead is a type of news lead that poses a question to the reader, engaging their curiosity and prompting them to seek answers within the story. This style aims to draw readers in by presenting an issue or topic that directly invites their thoughts and concerns, making it an effective way to hook the audience's attention right from the start.
Quotation lead: A quotation lead is a journalistic technique that begins a news story with a direct quote from a source, intended to grab the reader's attention and convey the essence of the story. This style can establish tone, provide immediate insight into the subject matter, and create a more engaging introduction than a traditional summary lead. It’s often used when the quote itself is compelling or captures the main theme of the article.
Scene-setting lead: A scene-setting lead is a type of introductory sentence in news writing that establishes the setting, mood, and context of a story, often immersing the reader in the scene before revealing the main news element. This approach helps paint a vivid picture for readers, allowing them to visualize the events or circumstances surrounding the story, which can enhance emotional engagement and comprehension.
Soft lead: A soft lead is a type of introductory sentence in journalism that engages the reader's interest by providing context or a narrative hook rather than presenting the most critical facts right away. This style is often used to draw readers into the story, creating an emotional connection or setting a scene that makes them want to read more. Soft leads can vary in length and tone, allowing for creativity while still adhering to journalistic standards.
Statistical Lead: A statistical lead is an opening sentence in a news story that uses numerical data to capture the reader's attention and provide a clear, concise summary of key information. It often highlights significant figures or statistics related to the event being reported, setting the tone for the rest of the article and engaging the audience with impactful data. This type of lead is particularly effective in stories where quantitative evidence plays a crucial role in understanding the topic at hand.
Summary lead: A summary lead is a type of news lead that presents the most important facts of a story in a concise manner, usually answering the who, what, when, where, why, and how. It serves to quickly inform readers about the essence of the story, capturing their attention right from the start. This type of lead is essential in journalism as it allows readers to grasp the main points without having to read the entire article.
Teaser Lead: A teaser lead is a brief introductory sentence or phrase that aims to grab the reader's attention and entice them to read further. This type of lead often uses intriguing questions, unusual facts, or compelling statements to create curiosity without giving away the full story, making it an effective tool for engaging audiences right from the start.