WCC COMM 106 writing leads for an audience powerpoint LUTHER

1. WRITING LEADS FOR
AN AUDIENCE

2. The Lead Captures the
Essence of the Story
Doesn’t sound “written”, but
rather conversational
Narrative Storytelling Format-
you’re telling a story, not just
delivering “facts”

3. What is a Story “Lead”?
• The First Sentence
• Most Important Element
• Functions Much like a Headline
Does for a Newspaper
• “Point of Purchase” = will they
“buy” it/keep listening/watching?

4. “What’s In It For Me?” – When
Possible Address This for the
Audience In Lead
• Will they get valuable info?
• Will they get an important question
answered?
• Will they get a nice surprise?
• Will they be shocked?

5. Lead = Sales Pitch
YOU MUST KNOW THE ESSENCE
OF THE STORY YOURSELF
Capture the Essence and Make A
Connection to the Audience
WHO are you writing for? If you
don’t know that, how can you speak
to them?

6. Video/Audio Offers the
Opportunity to Make a Direct
Connection with Audience
Ask a Question: HOW MUCH
TIME DID YOU SPEND IN
TRAFFIC THIS MORNING?
Using “YOU” Directly Addresses
Audience and Engages Them

7. Challenge Their Expectations
YOU MIGHT THINK IT’S NOT
EASY TO GET AWAY WITH
MURDER…BUT THAT’S NOT
THE CASE IN BLAMVILLE.
DETECTIVES THERE HAVE
SOLVED FEWER THAN HALF
OF LAST YEAR’S KILLINGS.

8. Relate to their Experiences*
IF YOU’VE EVER DRIVEN ON
THE INTERSTATE AND FOUND
YOURSELF SANDWICHED
BETWEEN TWO SEMIS…YOU
KNOW HOW FRIGHTENING BIG
RIGS CAN BE.
*Be sure it’s a common experience, though

9. How Many Facts Should Your
Lead (first sentence) Contain?
Maybe no specific facts at all

10. SAMPLE LEAD:
A TRANSPUDDLE AIRLINES
SEVEN-THIRTY-SEVEN WITH FIFTY-
SEVEN PASSENGERS ON BOARD
DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM
BUENOS AIRES THIS
MORNING…SPARKING A MAJOR
SEARCH BY THE ARGENTINE AIR
FORCE.

11. SAMPLE LEAD:
 WAY TOO MANY FACTS
 WE DON’T NEED TO KNOW
EVERYTHING IN THE FIRST
BREATH/SENTENCE
 KEEP IT SIMPLE!

12. SAMPLE LEAD:
 WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS
OUT OF ARGENTINA THIS
AFTERNOON…A MASSIVE
SEARCH IS UNDERWAY
FOR A MISSING JETLINER

13.  A STORY ROADMAP HAS THREE
MAIN ELEMENTS:
 PREVIEW (BEGINNING)
 VIEW (MIDDLE)
 REVIEW (END)

14.  PREVIEW (BEGINNING)
 YOUR LEAD SIGNALS THE
TYPE OF STORY
 VIEW (MIDDLE w/SOUND
BITES/MATERIAL)
 THE PERTINENT FACTS
 REVIEW (END)
 SUMMARIZES CURRENT
STATUS AND/OR LOOKS
AHEAD

15.  PREVIEW/BEGINNING:
 WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS OUT OF ARGENTINA
THIS AFTERNOON…A MASSIVE SEARCH IS
UNDERWAY FOR A MISSING JETLINER.
 VIEW/MIDDLE:
 PERTINENT FACTS
 REVIEW/END:
 AUTHORITIES SAY THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING
PLANE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT.
 IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER ANY OF THE MISSING
PASSENGERS IS AMERICAN.
 THE AIRLINE IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF
CONTACTING RELATIVES OF MISSING PASSENGERS.

16.  PREVIEW (BEGINNING)
 YOUR LEAD SIGNALS THE
TYPE OF STORY
 VIEW (MIDDLE)
 THE PERTINENT FACTS
 REVIEW (END)
 SUMMARIZES CURRENT
STATUS AND/OR LOOKS
AHEAD

17. To know how to tell a story, you
must first know what the story is!
Always ask yourself, “What is this
story about?”
If you can’t answer that in one
short declarative sentence you
need to stop and narrow your
focus

18. DEFINE THE “SOMETHING”
What happened?
DEFINE THE “SOMEONE”
Who did it happen to?
If you know the story you’re telling,
you’ll be much more likely to tell it to
your audience in an engaging and
effective narrative way that helps
them feel they’ve lived it
themselves…

19. Write How People Listen, NOT How
They Read
Using the “Mom Rule”, Visualize Sitting
Down with a Mom (yours or someone
else’s) and Telling Them the Story
Keep Your Sentences Short
Be Friendly and Informal

20. KEEP IT SIMPLE – DON’T
OVERLOAD THE LEAD
SAVE THE DETAILS FOR THE
BODY OF THE STORY
REMEMBER: A LEAD IS LIKE A
HEADLINE!
PREVIEW THE STORY – DON’T
SUMMARIZE IT

21. 5 AUDIO PROJECT LEADS
ASSIGNMENT ON BLACKBOARD