News Reporting & WritingWhy Leads Fail

Gerry Doyle

Just as there are principles TO FOLLOW for writing news leads: Grab the reader’s attention Tell what was the most important and/or

interesting thing that happened Have some or all of the 5 Ws and 1 H Be concise …

Leads: Guiding Rules

There are guidelines on what NOT TO DO when writing leads. …

Leads: Guiding Rules

Avoid topic leads:

Hong Kong’s football team played against Singapore last night.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying appeared before the Legislative Council this morning.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid overused sayings from novels:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid quote leads. Quotes are usually

opinions, and may not fairly summarize a story. If you DO use a quote for a news story lead, it better be GREAT:

“I’m back,” Jesus said this morning.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid question leads:

“Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to sprint uphill from Bonham Road to Kotewall Road at the top of Hong Kong University?”

A journalist’s job is to explain. Questions in leads and even in headlines are crutches that show laziness. Get to the point.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid the chair-leaning lead:

After a while, in a startling and unexpected development, the deeply sorrowful Jesus H. Christ, 33, son of the Almighty, leaned back again an olive tree, stretched out his 5-foot, 10-inch frame, put his head in his hands as tears slowly rolled down his cheeks and His very close associates looked on.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Don’t write any lead beginning with the word

“Imagine.”

“Imagine that you had no legs. Then you might have an idea of what life is like for poor Joe Schmoe.”

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid referencing the dictionary:

Webster's defines lazy writing as quoting from a dictionary to start a story.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid the “Thanks to” lead:

Thanks to innovative technology developed at Queen Mary Hospital, Harry Wong can walk, dress himself and go to work every day.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid the one-word lead:

Cynical.

That is what most people believe journalists are.

Leads: Don’t Do This …

Avoid poor plays on words:

Critics say the Hong Kong government is barking up the wrong tree in trying to ban dogs from public parks.

Leads: Don’t Do This