Ledes

   "Unlike the first sentence of most themes, the lede of a news story is not a preface. It does not lead up to the story or prepare the reader for what is to come. In newswriting, the lede is the story" (Fox, 19).

   "Any lede that must be read twice for understanding is a poor one" (Fox, 24).

   For the purpose of this class, ledes should not be longer than 30 words in a print news story (p. 40). The lede condenses the entire news story. It should contain as many of the five Ws (pp. 36-37)  as can be understood. Most hard news articles use direct ledes; delayed ledes are best used in features. Melvin Mencher suggests five lede questions to help you build your lead (p. 117).

   In a lede, the key element begins the sentence. To fix a bad sentence, find the key element and rewrite emphasizing it. The time of an event SELDOM if EVER comprises the key element in a news story (p. 41). You can have all of the correct facts and still write a dull lede. The reader will not finish the story if this happens.

   Only use the name of prominent persons in the lede. Otherwise, mention their name in the second paragraph. Also, make sure the names of those easily-recognized prominent people are correct. Check out ledes that succeed in the book (pp. 44-45).

   As journalists, we seldom use questions in the lede. A straight paragraph emphasizing the most pertinent facts is the best way to write a lede. Questions may lead the reader into believing the reporter has an opinion on a story. Opinions are best saved for columns. Yet, question ledes do have their uses, e.g.

   Where's the money?
   That's the question officials have been fighting over since an internal investigation found $3 million missing from the treasury fund. The only person not under suspicion is Treasurer Igot Dough, the multimillionaire and philanthropist who initiated the inquiry.

   In the previous kicker, the location of the money ($3 million) provides the most pertinent fact and the question adds emphasis. If the total were only $300, it probably would have been written as a straight news lede. I recommend using a question lede in only the most extraordinary instances. In other words, I wouldn't use it for a murder story unless it was the First Lady murdering the President (e.g. Did she do it?). Journalists seldom if ever use this. I haven't yet and I've been doing this a while.

   These two great basic ledes, written by students just like you, leave the reader wanting to read further:

Journalism 200 students learned the inside scoop on writing obituaries.

The New York Times obituary on George Wallace is a good example of how to write features and not confirm information.

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