Sunday, November 5, 2017

#10 Importance of Leads


Chunky Raccoon Stuck In Grate Rescued By Local Authorities

Hilary Hanson  HuffPost
In my mind this lead is great. It is simple and to the point, bringing you in with a bit of light-hearted fun. In a world with war, political embarrassments (on all sides of the spectrum), and monthly mass-shootings I feel like a dumb story about a fat raccoon needs more attention. Luckily the author, Hilary Hanson, has a good grasp on the language and uses it better than the story deserves.
This is a great lead because of the word usage. Using words that have unique sounds can really help pull a reader in. That may sound odd but stand-up comedians say the same thing about their career. Hard “k” sounds can add punch to a joke that may have none. Leads that can grab attention from the reader when it probably does not earn it by merit, is an important skill to learn.

For those looking for a career in news reporting, you may need to acquire this skill to get recognition. In the beginning of your career you will most likely not be covering some earth-shattering news. You will start off with fluff pieces, so learn the ins and outs of fluff pieces.

3 comments:

  1. Hello,
    This is a great lead. The writer made it a playful article that would attract people to read it. It's unfortunate that hate and crime is constantly on the news.
    Good luck!

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  2. I agree with Gina. This is a good lead. I also think having the skill to write a play on words is invaluable in a writing career.

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  3. I love the word "chunky" here. Such an interesting choice! Rarely would that word ever be used in professional writing but it works perfectly here!

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