The Info on Leads

Below is a brief summary of our discussion on leads.

Once you’ve compiled enough information – and you’ve answered the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” questions, it’s time to write the lead.

The lead encapsulates for the reader the most newsworthy element of your story.

Here are a few guidelines:

· Leads should be one sentence, perhaps two, in length.
· The “hook” always comes first.
· Don’t “bury the lead.”
· Save the less important details.
· Know when to use a DELAYED IDENTIFICATION lead (when the person is not widely known) and when to use an IMMEDIATE IDENTIFICATION lead (when the person is well known).
· Don’t worry if at first you sound clichéd.
· Experiment – don’t be afraid to play with pop culture references, plays on words.
· Start with a compelling noun.
· Keep it short – 25-35 words, if possible.
· Don’t waste the reader’s time with a long introductory (prepositional) phrase.
· Only lead with a person’s name if that person is well known or at the heart of your story.
· Try not to lead with when or where, unless within those elements we find the “hook” for the story.
· Try not to lead with the name (or affiliation) of the source.
· “Quote” leads and “question”+ leads should be used sparingly.
· When more than one hook happens, consider a MULTIPLE ELEMENT lead.


Here is an example of a delayed identification lead. It stresses WHAT HAPPENED and delays the specific names and identification of individuals until the second or subsequent paragraphs.

Two Jackson County men were shot early yesterday by an Owsley County man whose home they broke into, Kentucky State Police said.

The TIME ELEMENT answers the question "When did it happen?" Here is an example of how print reporters tuck the time element into the lead, often after the verb.

FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The Rev. Jesse Jackson offered words of hope yesterday to laid-off Philips Lighting Co. workers, telling them to "hold your heads high" in times of struggle.

Here is an example of how print reporters emphasize the latest developments in an ongoing story:

MURRAY — As students collected personal items yesterday from a Murray State University residence hall, investigators continued to search for clues in the ashes of a fire that left one student dead.

Here is an example of how print reporters may try to include more information into a lead. If several important things happened at a meeting, a reporter might write a MULTIPLE ELEMENT lead:

The Board of Regents voted to allow students under 21 to live off-campus if they have 60 hours of coursework and outlawed alcohol advertising by the student newspaper and athletic department.

Don't forget to have some fun with your writing. A summary lead does not have to be boring or generic:

If you have some interesting details, use them.

Here's an example of a traditional summary lead on a news story about the consummation of two pandas at the Washington Zoo:

Two pandas given to the United States by China 11 years ago have finally mated, National Zoo officials announced today.

Sounds a little pretentious to use such a formal, traditional lead on a story like that. Here's what a creative reporter did with the lead:

Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling have finally done their thing-thing.