BeginningsFrom Ralph FletcherWhat a Writer Needs

The Dramatic Lead

“You would usually be born from you own mother’s stomach, but not me…”

- Dramatic leads are eye catching and hold the readers attention

- Makes you want to finish the entire story

- Have an appropriate lead

- Give students options other than when on one

Starting in the Middle of a Scene

• Throws the reader into the action• Immediacy- sense of here and nowness• Can begin with an auditory sound or

dialogue • Example:“Crash! The baseball smashed into the

window.”

Leisurely Leads

• What is it? • A longer lead that can build suspense while

creating an introspective tone for the narrative

• A longer lead that gives the reader entry, and provides them with an idea of how the rest of the writing will be

Example: a rambling description of a place, feeling or experience (not punchy or to the point)

If you consider the beginning of a hard news story, a leisurely lead would be the opposite!

Beginning at the Ending

• “One day last spring, Louis, a butcher, turned into a fish. Silvery scales. Big lips. A tail. A salmon.”

• Starts at the end of a story and explains how such an ending came about.

• Used by journalists or essayists who begin with a surprising, provocative argument.

• Does not give the reader a sense of surprise, rather gives them satisfaction of knowing how the story ends.

Introducing the Narrator

• What is it?• A lead designed to introduce the

character who will tell the story• Designed to connect the reader with

the main character

• Ex: humorous intro, unreliable narrator, bold introduction, start with a question.

• Moby Dick, Three Little Pigs told from wolf’s perspective

The Misleading Lead

• Writers who explore powerful, personal subjects often begin with a blurting lead that tells too much too fast. • Example:

• Last summer Gilly, my pet guppy, had fifty-three babies.

• Writers need to be careful; readers may feel cheated, manipulated, and stop trusting the writer.

The Ambiguous Lead

• Lack of clarity can be intriguing

• Vagueness entices readers to continue reading to figure out the unclear beginning

• Example: “From behind the tree I saw a man-like figure lumber into the forest. Is it a man? Is it something else? We race ahead to find out…”