Common Types of Leads
Why is a powerful lead so important?
A lead is what draws the reader into your story. A good lead hooks readers from the beginning and makes them excited to continue reading.
THE LEADThe lead is the beginning or introduction to your story. It
gives the reader a preview of what your story will be about.
Effective Leads• Action Lead• Character Lead• Fact Lead• Opinion Lead• Question Lead• Dialogue or Quote• Single Word Lead
Once upon a time…..
My name is… and I’m going to write about…
__________ Lead: Someone is pictured.
Ex. The old man sat on a bench reading a newspaper. He was dressed up in a suit and tie. The only odd thing about him was the baseball cap that sat backward on his head.
__________ Lead: A piece of
___________ is given.
Ex. The largest crossword puzzle ever published had more than 5000 clues across and a similar number down.
__________ Lead: A belief is stated.
Ex. Cats are a thousand times smarter than dogs.
__________________ Lead: Words are taken from another context.
Ex. “Always chew your food slowly,” my mother says.
__________ ________ Lead: An important word is set off by itself, and then followed by explanatory sentences.
Ex. Mud. Mud was everywhere. It was on the rug. It was on the furniture. I have never seen so much mud in my life.
**Interjections are good examples of this kind of lead.** Examples of Interjections are. . .
An interjection is a word used to get attention or express a feeling.
10. It was a dark and stormy night (Cliché)
9. Let me tell you about. . . (just get to the point)
8. This weekend I . . . (ho-hum)
7. My topic is . . . (just make a statement that clues us in)
6. Once upon a time . . . (Brothers Grimm have that copyrighted already)
5. I feel that . . . (just make a statement that clues us in)
4. I think that . . . (ditto)
3. The dictionary defines (topic) as . . . (a real show stopper—NOT!)
2. (Topic) is a very exciting thing. (Show us, don’t tell us)
1. Hello, my name is . . . (if it’s a letter, we’ll figure that out; if it’s not, your name is listed as author under the title)
Practice Writing Assignment:
Choose two of the following topics to practice writing.
Use two different effective leads.
Lake Tahoe
Disneyland
McDonald’s
A Famous Person
Outdoor Education
Effective Beginnings:
• Action• Description of
characters• State a fact• Opinion Lead• Question Lead• Dialogue or
Quote• Single Word
Lead
Writing Topics:• Lake Tahoe• Disneyland• McDonald’s• A Famous
Person• Outdoor
Education
Now knowing the common types of leads and worst kinds of introductions:
Choose two (or three) of the common leads to introduce your personal narrative. (Introductions are a paragraph in length not one sentence.)
Draft due Monday. Be prepared to share.