writing a journalistic lead

1. For Starters:
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the
clocks were striking thirteen.”
-Eighteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first
name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was
murdered on December 6, 1973.”
-The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
“If you are interested in stories with happy
endings, you would be better off reading some
other book. In this book, not only is there no
happy ending, there is no happy beginning and
very few happy things in the middle.”
-A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
“Justice?---You get justice in the next world, in this
world you have the law.”
-A Frolic of His Own by William Gaddis

2. Where do I start?

3. THE POWER
OF LEADS

5. Hints and predicts content

7. Establish
tone

8. • The most important sentence in any article is
the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to
proceed to the second sentence, your article is
dead.”
— William Zinsser, On Writing Well

9. KINDS OF LEAD

10. SUMMARY OF
CONVENTIONAL
LEAD
Used in straight news answers right away
all or any of the 5 WH’s Questions.

11. NOVELTY LEAD

12. NARRATIVE LEAD
• It draws the reader into the story by allowing him to relate himself with the
character of the story.
• Example:
More than 15 years ago, a young couple, both of Spanish descent,
embarked on their honeymoon trip in the verdant hills of Mindoro, little knowing
that the journey would practically change the course of their lives.
-“What is Miranda Elizalde Like?”

13. DESCRIPTIVE LEAD
• It illustrates a mental picture of the subject to the reader.
• Example:
Dressed in white Polo Barong, diploma in their hands, and with their
brightest smiles. 1500 graduates marched down the stage to the tune of Babag
National High School Hymn.

14. QUOTATION
LEAD
• Consists of the speaker’s direct words which are very
striking and usually quoted from speech, a public
address, or an interview.
• Example:
• “I don’t belive in courtship. It’s a waste of time.
If I love the person, I’ll tellher right away. But for
you, I’ll make an exception. Just love me now,
and I’ll court you forever.”
-
Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

15. QUESTION
LEAD
• A thought-provoking question to capture
the interest of the reader and lead them
to find the answer provided by the
succeeding details of the article.
• Example:
Who says Japanese aren’t doing enough to
promote imports?
-
”Doorstep Imports”
(Asiaweek, 18 Jan. 1987)

16. TEASER
/SUSPENSE
LEAD
• Holds back on the main focus of the
story to build suspense.
• Example:
It started as a sprinkle, then built to
a shower and finally became a downpour.
The rumble of thunder, distant at first,
became louder. With just three minutes
left, the refs postponed the game.

17. PUNCH
LEAD
• It is a short, striking one-sentence lead.
• Blunt, explosive statement to summarize the
most newsworthy feature.
Example:
Victory Day!
Magsaysay High School celebrated on March 18
its fifth Victory in the city-wide journalism contest.
Awesome.
That’s the best term to describe the Rattler girls’
basketball team, which notched its 15th
consecutive win Friday night.

18. ASTONISHER
• It uses an interjection or
exclamatory sentence.
Example:
Champion of District 1!
Better look your best this week!

19. ONE
WORD
LEAD
• It uses a very significant word to
capture the interest of the reader.
• Example:
March!
Thus, ordered Hi-Y president Lina Jr of
Osmena High School to start the Walk for
Health” fund raising drive.

20. PARODY
• It consists of a parody of a well-known quotation, song, poem,
book or movie film title.
• Anything humorous.
• Example:
Water, water everywhere, but no water to drink. This what the
flood victims found in their dismay.

21. BACKGROUND
LEAD
• It describes an event in which the
background overshadows the individuals
who participate in it; often used for stories
about carnivals, festivals, dances and
others.
• The setting and scenario is more important
than the person involved.
• Example:
The PNU campus was turned into a
miniature carnival ground on September 1
during the 104th F-Day Celebration of the
University. Decorated with buntings and
multi-colored lights, the quadrangle was a
grand setting for a barrio fiesta.

22. • Uncommon and odd statement.
• Example:
“For sale: one elephant.”
The City Park Commission is
thinking about inserting that ad in
the newspaper.
FREAK
LEAD

23. CONTRAST LEAD
• It is used to point up opposites and
extremes.
• Example:
Four months before the beautification
and cleanup drive, zone 15 in Tondo
Manila was the dirtiest district. Three
months after, it won first place in the
CLEAN contest sponsored by the
Department of Community and Local
Government.

24. STACCATO
• This usually consists of a series of words or phrases,
punctuated by periods, commas and dashes.
Example:
a. Cotton candy. Corn dogs. Deep-fried Twinkies.
Gut-twisting rides.
The Carnival promises fun for all ages, but it can be
tough on a child’s tummy of parents don’t watch out.
b. Square roots. Common Denominators. Quotients
and remainders.
c. Midnight on the bridge…. a scream….a shot… a
splash…

25. COMBINATION LEAD
Combination of two or more types of lead.
Example:
“God is not nice,” a wise Jewish rabbi once said, “He is not an uncle. God
is an earthquake.”
It may not have seemed so at first to Sonia Roco, when the first strong
tremor brought the roof of the Hotel Nevada crashing down on her and 27
others. Trapped in the rubble, surrounded by darkness, the cries of the
injured and the eerie silence of the dead, she had begun to pray.
-”Sonia Roco: Lift is a Gift”
(Sunday Inquirer Magazine, 16 Nov. 1997)

26. “The first million words
is just practice.”
-Stephen King

27. Challenge:
• Write every single day for ten
minutes.