How to Write a News Lead

A well crafted news lead will provide the hook to get readers interested in the story. There are different types of leads and different methods to write leads. A better understanding of news leads will help you grab readers and make them stick around.

Article leads are separated into two categories. Direct and Delayed. Direct news leads share one purpose. Tell me the news! Delayed news leads offer something else. Tell me a story!

Direct Leads

The Summary lead is the most basic news lead, covering all of the essential elements. Simply summarize the 5 W's of news reporting. Who, What, Where, When and Why.

The Analysis lead digs deeper into the ramifications of the news. Put the news into perspective by adding insight beyond the minimum required elements.

Delayed Leads

The Anecdotal lead generally leads into lighter news features. The story is illustrated through an anecdote, scene or quote. News writers tend to stay away from this lead, but it can be an easy hook to attach readers to different types of stories.

A Significant Detail lead is nothing more than it claims to be. A significant detail, fact or statistic that is shocking and interesting. The reader will continue to read to find the background of such a detail.

The Emblem lead is the process of putting a human face on the issue. Typically this means pulling from the person's situation elements that are familiar and identifiable to the reader.

The Round-Up lead is a hodgepodge of anecdotes, illustrations and examples to display how the issue has followed a trend. This wouldn't be used on breaking news, but could be utilized for issues that have a recurring interest for the public.

Any of these news leads can create exciting hooks for readers. The following are tips on how to write a news lead and how to choose the right lead type to use.

Write a Lead

The first step towards writing an interesting news lead is to put you in the role as a reader. What about the story would your reader be most interested in or connect with?

A strong news lead includes the pertinent information about the story. Who could know more about the story at this point than you? After researching the issue and interviewing experts or eyewitnesses, the next best step is to interview yourself. What about this story do you think is valuable? What would make you want to pick up the article and read it?

When you have begun writing your news lead, it is important to know that you should not spend all of your time on it. The rest of the article is waiting for your attention as well. If you are unhappy with the lead, come back to it later with a fresh perspective. Some leads arrive like pleasant doves; others need to be dug out of the ground. Coming back to it later might be the break you need.

Revise Your Lead

Revising your news lead is crucial to making it effective. Several factors should be considered when revising.

Read it Aloud. Make sure to read the lead out loud. If you stumble over words or are unable to complete it in a single breath, go back and clean up the problem words. Your lead should be fairly quick and snappy. You should be able to tell it to someone over the phone and have them completely understood.

Ensure Accuracy and Clarity. Understanding is the requirement of a news lead. If the reader does not understand the story the lead has failed. Easy questions to ask include, Is this accurate? Is there industry jargon that many people are unfamiliar with? Is it full of clichés? Does it make sense?

Count the Words. Unnecessary words can clutter the lead. Count the words and eliminate anything that is not completely necessary. Use very simple but vigorous English. Keep sentences to simple subject-verb-object agreements. A short and snappy lead will engage a reader quickly and easily then flow into the rest of the story.

How to Choose a Lead

A final consideration will be what kind of news lead is appropriate for the situation.

Breaking news, where the time element is critical, should employ a simple and direct lead. If the story is exclusive to your publication, you will have the option of either a direct or delayed lead.

Often, readers will have knowledge on an issue beforehand, and will require a different slant to get them involved in the story. An emblem or anecdotal lead could draw the reader into the story from a different perspective.

Many tools are at your disposal when composing a news lead. With careful consideration and a fresh outlook you can capture readers before the first paragraph is over. Just make sure the rest of the article is just as interesting.