Transcript Dynamic Leads

Bad Leads
Avoid leads that
begin with…
a rhetorical question
What do you do with a
million dollars?
b. phrases like…
When I was six…
I’ll never forget the time…
One day…
I am going to tell you
about…
Dynamic Leads
A good lead must hook the
reader’s attention and spark
their curiosity by being
entertaining and/or
interesting so the reader will
continue reading.
Action
Thinking to myself how advance the
other riders were, I knew that I was
just a beginner as the other girls
jumped gracefully over the rails. Zoe
was one of those advanced riders,
and little did I know that she would
become my inspiration and best
friend.
Question
What is it like to transition from
elementary to middle school? That is a question
many kids ask each year. Having experienced
both, I can tell you that there are plenty of
similarities as well as some very big differences
between the two types of schools.
Detail
I stopped my beat up Chevy on
the side of the dirt road to watch
the bright, disc-shaped light zigzag across the night sky.
Setting
My eyes dart nervously around
the still, silent courtroom. The
witness stand is empty, no jurors
fill the box, and the judge’s gavel
lies inert on his desk.
Quotation
From the mouth of Elbert
Hubbard, “A friend is one who
knows you and loves you just the
same.” We all have our
idiosyncrasies which help us
become more tolerant of others.
What do you notice about all
these examples?
1. Short! Two sentences
2. Using active voice (action verbs) rather than
BLAH verbs
3. Controlled idea is clearly expressed
Dynamic Leads
1. Choose two different techniques
2. Rewrite your lead twice - once for each
technique
3. State the technique used
4. Share all three leads with group
5. Discuss which one is most effective
Dynamic Leads
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Action
Dialogue
Emotion
Setting
Quotation