Make your leads concrete and creative Who said TV was bad for you? My West Wing binge watching is paying off with great writing tips. Here, some insights on approvals — and the right way to start a story: "CUT TO: INT. MARS BRIEFING REHEARSAL — DAY The TelePrompTer shows the name 'Galileo' on it and Sam's head pops up. The crewmembers of the NASA Public … [Read more...] about ‘He said it right’
leads
Don’t say ‘when’
Date leads date your story In a “West Wing” episode, President Jed Bartlet is in the Oval Office, where a technician prepares to record his Saturday morning radio address. TECHNICIAN: "Here we go. In three, two ..." He holds up his index finger on "one," then points to Bartlet. BARTLET: "Good morning. This month, as autumn is in full bloom in much of … [Read more...] about Don’t say ‘when’
Put the reader first
Fill in the blanks to a great benefits lead Want to write a release that grabs reader attention? Lead with the reader. Here's how to do it, modeling the lead from a Silver Anvil Award-winning release by the California Milk Advisory Board: "Dairy farmers throughout California — the nation’s No. 1 milk-producing state — will have an opportunity to learn the basics of … [Read more...] about Put the reader first
Start your story with a statistics lead
Grab reader attention by writing with numbers Stumped for a story starter? Try a statistics lead. Yes, writing with numbers can be tough. A bunch of boring figures can make readers' eyes glaze over wherever you place them. But startling statistics — underline the word “startling” — can make a great lead. When writing your next lead, surprise and delight readers with a … [Read more...] about Start your story with a statistics lead