If you don’t know how to catch a reader’s attention in the first few seconds of an article, your writing goals will be dead in the water.
Enter the lead, the opening paragraph or opening section of a story. Sometimes misspelled “lede” for journalism shorthand, a lead is a single sentence, paragraph, or section that summarizes the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your story. Think of leads as being like movie trailers: you get a sense of what the movie is about, yet the teaser leaves you wanting more. A great lead does the same.
Key Takeaways
- Good leads require both precision and brevity, and most editors and journalists consider it to be the most challenging section of an article to write.
- There are several versions of the lead: straight news leads, a traditional lead, an anecdotal lead, a zinger lead, and more.
- When you know what your lead is, your articles, emails, and/or social media posts will be much clearer.
Here’s what a lead is, the different types of leads, and how to start writing better leads now.
What Is a Lead (Lede)?
In writing, the lead is the opening sentence, paragraph, or section of your article.
The opening of your article or post must capture attention and create interest quickly; a well-written lead accomplishes this goal, and there are several ways to do it. While it’s important to write a good headline in order for readers to click through, it’s still not enough in our modern media landscape to get results. You also need a good opening.
Related: How to Pitch an Article in 2023: 72 Outlet How-Tos
There’s no one correct way to write a lead, but some approaches are better than others based on the type of article you’re writing. Here are nine different strategies to consider.
The Top 9 Types of Leads for Writing Online
- Summary lead / straight news lead.
- Single-item lead.
- Anecdotal lead / analogous lead.
- Delayed identification lead.
- Scene-setting lead.
- Short sentence lead / zinger lead.
- First-person lead.
- Observational lead.
- Question lead.
No. 1: Summary Lead / Straight News Lead
A summary lead is the most common type of lead, and is very popular when writing about hard news or breaking news. If you’re new to writing, you can’t go wrong with a summary lead.
This approach is also called a news lead or a direct lead. Hannah Block, international news editor for National Public Radio (NPR), describes it well: “Just the facts, please, and even better if interesting details and context are packed in.”
The summary lead formula is simple: aspire to communicate most of the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your story (referred to hereafter as “the W’s”) in a single sentence.
This approach is preferred in news writing, which aspires to remain neutral and unbiased in its delivery of information, and creates immediate clarity. Prioritize active voice, journalistic writing, and proper AP style in a summary lead.
Here is an example from the Associated Press (AP).
“Intensifying its fight against high inflation, the Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate by a substantial three-quarters of a point for a third straight time and signaled more large rate hikes to come — an aggressive pace that will heighten the risk of an eventual recession.”(1)
AP’s business section has a “business highlights” subsection in which each article is a collection of leads and summary paragraphs. Read through it to get a feel for how to create clarity and context in a single paragraph that includes the most important information. AP News is free to read.
Here’s another example from Reuters:
“The Philadelphia Phillies ended their long wait for a World Series title with a short burst of baseball last night as they clinched the crown by completing a rain-suspended 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.”(2)
No. 2: Single-Item Lead
The single-item lead is similar to the summary lead, but this approach focuses just one or two of the W’s, rather than trying to stuff most or all of them into a single sentence.
This approach is good if your news story or article is very much driven by one particular detail or feeling, and since it’s shorter, it usually results in a bigger punch. Aim to land your idea in as few words as possible, preferably all in one sentence.
Let's rewrite the previous Reuters lead to demonstrate how it could be expressed as a single-item lead instead.
“The Philadelphia Phillies are World Champions again.”
No. 3: Anecdotal Lead / Analogy Lead
If the information you’re introducing to your audience is complex or overly conceptual, a more effective approach might be to use an analogy or anecdote instead.
The anecdotal lead is unique in that it does not communicate the W’s of the story, but rather leans on details or analogies to help the reader infer what the story is going to be about. The result is a more emotionally charged or stylistic lead that goes beyond hard facts and can pull readers in.
An anecdote is any short story that illustrates a point.
These leads can use an overt analogy or be more descriptive. Here are examples of each.
The Cincinnati Post
“From Dan Ralescu’s sun-warmed beach chair in Thailand, the Indian Ocean began to look, oddly, not so much like waves but bread dough."
ProPublica/The New York Times
“"I tucked Joel in, but I feel so guilty I didn’t hold him longer,” Julie Rea said, her voice welling with emotion. That is all she can muster about the worst night of her life. As she tries to say more, she breaks down."(3)
Resist the urge to use an anecdotal lead that is too cheesy or cliché. The objective of this lead is to use an anecdote to create clarity faster and with fewer total words.
No. 4: Delayed Identification Lead
This lead focuses on an action or situation without revealing who is involved at first. It is good to use when someone wants to emphasize a scenario or situation effectively before revealing the W’s. When done well, it pulls people in.
In the first debate for the United States Democratic Primary in 2020, Kamala Harris used a delayed-identification lead in one of her talking points on busing legislation until the end.
“There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate their public schools, and she was bused to school every day. That little girl was me.”
No. 5: Scene-Setting Lead
The scene-setting lead creates depth and detail. It is more lush and narrative, and is great for creating vividness or setting the stage for longer pieces.
Usually, the primary intention of the lead is to establish clarity quickly, but in literary journalism and other more longform approaches, taking the time to set the stage at the beginning often results in a more effective piece.
Here is an example of a scene-setting lead from BuzzFeed.
“For seven years before the murder, Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blancharde lived in a small pink bungalow on West Volunteer Way in Springfield, Missouri. Their neighbors liked them. “'Sweet' is the word I’d use,” a former friend of Dee Dee’s told me not too long ago. Once you met them, people said, they were impossible to forget.”(4)
Here is another example, a sentence from the book Beloved by Toni Morrison.
“Winter in Ohio was especially rough if you had an appetite for color. Sky provided the only drama, and counting on a Cincinnati horizon for life’s principal joy was reckless indeed.”
No. 6: Short Sentence Lead / Zinger Lead
This type of lead is when you pack a punch with the first sentence of your article to capture a reader’s attention. It can be sassy, shocking, unexpected, compelling, or all of the above.
Usually, when using a zinger lead, the following paragraphs fill in missing details and function like a regular lead.
Here is a sassy example from the Philadelphia Enquirer.
“Philadelphians don’t need anyone’s approval, especially not New Yorkers. But that doesn’t mean we don’t care when we get recognition.”(5)
Here is another example from the Miami Herald. This was a story about a man who attempted to smuggle cocaine by swallowing balloons of it.
“His last meal was worth $30,000 and it killed him.”(6)
No. 7: First-Person Lead
A first-person lead is the battle ax of many a mom blogger or aspiring opinion columnist. First-person leads are fine for blogging, and they’ve become increasingly popular in our social media-first culture.
However, they also break the fourth wall; if you’re writing a journalistic article or reporting, introducing yourself as a character in your story may be a risk.
Remember, the main goal of a lead is to get a point across quickly. If your personal experience doesn’t contribute to that goal, readers won’t understand what they’re reading, and they’ll check out.
Here is an example from a story by National Public Radio (NPR).