Writing Ledes that Hook Readers

What is the Lede?
The lede (that’s how journalists spell it) is the first paragraph of any news story. It’s also the most important. The lede must accomplish several things:
· give readers the main points of the story
· get readers interested in reading the story
· accomplish both “a” and “b” in as few words as possible
Typically editors want ledes to be no longer than 35-40 words. Why so short? Readers want their news delivered quickly. A short lede does just that.

What Goes in the Lede?
Journalists use the five “W’s and the H” – Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
· Who – who is the story about?
· What – what is the story about?
· Where – where did the event you’re writing about occur?
· When – when did it occur?
· Why – why did this happen?
· How – how did this happen?
Example:
Let’s say you’re writing a story about a man who was injured when he fell off a ladder. Here are your five W’s and H:
· Who – the man
· What – he fell off a ladder while painting
· Where – at his house
· When – yesterday
· Why – the ladder was rickety
· How – the rickety ladder broke
So your lede might go something like this:
A man was injured yesterday when he fell off a rickety ladder that collapsed while he was painting his house.
That sums up the main points of the story in just 20 words, which is all you need for the lede.

Emphasize What’s Newsworthy
Sometimes, one particular aspect of a story – the who, what, where, when, why or how - will be especially interesting or newsworthy.
Celebrity stories are an example. People die of drug overdoses all the time, but when it happens to a celebrity it’s big news. So the “who” aspect of the story – who died – must be emphasized.
Here’s an example from CNN.com:
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New York Police Department said.
Notice how who died – Heath Ledger - is right at the start of the lede. That’s because the fact that a famous actor died is clearly the most newsworthy angle of this story.
Other stories might emphasize other angles. It’s the reporter’s job to figure out what’s most interesting in any story, and to play that up in the lede.

Adding Context
Ledes must be short, but that doesn’t mean they can’t include context and perspective that add meaning to a story. Look at this lede from The Associated Press:
WASHINGTON -- President Bush, facing doubts about his handling of Iraq amid rising casualties, is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism and cautioning Americans that the struggle "will take time and require sacrifice."
This lede is only 35 words long yet manages to tell us the following:
· President Bush is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism
· The president is facing doubts about his handling of the Iraq war
· casualties are rising in Iraq
· Bush admits the war “will take time and require sacrifice.”
Why did the writer feel the need to add such background information? Well, imagine if the lede had read like this:
President Bush is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism.
The basic story is there, but this bare-bones lede doesn’t provide any context for Bush’s request. The reader is left with little understanding of what’s really happening.

Subject-Verb-Object
A good way to keep ledes tight is to follow the subject-verb-object format. This simply means putting the subject at the start of the sentence whenever possible.
Look at these two sentences:
She read the book.
The book was read by her.
The first sentence is in S-V-O format, the second isn’t. What’s the difference?
· The first sentence is an “active” construction, the second is passive.
· The first sentence has a direct connection between the subject and the action she is taking, making the sentence punchy and vivid. The second sentence cuts that connection, making it dull and lifeless.
· The first sentence is four words long, the second is six words long.
Two words may not seem like a big difference, but imagine cutting two words out of every sentence your write. After awhile, it starts to add up.