Feature Story Lead Sentences- Same Story, Different Types

 

This is an exercise for my Feature Writing class to help the students understand the different ways that news and feature stories can begin, ie their first or lead sentences. 

There are a lot of tools the writer can use to begin a story so how about trying to write the different types of feature leads for the same story? 

The story used here is from Jan. 30, 2022 about how in some U.S. cities old churches that have lost all or much of their congregations are being repurposed. Here is a link to the Associated Press story.

The Leads: 

Hard News Lead: Some old churches in America that for various reasons have lost their congregations are being repurposed. 

Quotation Lead: "The Spirit has been guiding us in places where we never imagined going on our own." So says a Minneapolis minister about his Lutheran church's new life as a community center. 

Question Lead and Direct Address Lead:  What if your nearby church was no longer religious? Sounds strange but this is a trend across America,

Ironic Lead: A new trend is underway in America: churches that aren't really churches anymore. 

Anecdote: In Minneapolis, there are places you can go for art workshops, nutrition clinics, child preschools, even lessons in the Finnish and Swahili languages. The one-stop shop is a church. 

Suspenseful Lead: It is not what churches were built to do, but in these crazy and difficult times it's a trend that fits the 2020s. 

Shocker Lead: There are more and more churches in America where it's fine to leave your wallets at home. No collection plates are passed to the congregation. 

Words Used in Unusual Ways Lead: At some U.S. churches where the flocks of congregants are gone, new flocks have been found.  

Finding Feature Lead Examples Assignment

In my Feature/Magazine Writing class (Jour 360) I have given the students an assignment to find examples of feature leads from newspapers, magazines, online news sources, etc.

There are nine types and it will be challenging for the students to find at least one example of each type:

Ø  Anecdote- start with an insightful short story

Ø  Description- set the mood by describing how someone or something looks

Ø  Quotation- good if it catchy, insightful

Ø  Question- pose an engaging question

Ø  Suspenseful leads- intrigue makes a reader keep reading

Ø  Ironic leads- play on the unexpected

Ø  Direct-address- use of “you” as if talking directly to the reader 

Ø  Words used in unusual ways- be clever and creative with the English language

Ø  Shockers: lead with an unexpected twist

ANECDOTE LEAD 

Time magazine- Jan. 14, 2022

Cover story on Hollywood producer Shonda Rhimes

The Lead: 

Shonda Rhimes and I are deep into conversation about what makes a healthy work environment when she has to stop me from saying something ridiculous.

Comment: Starts to tell an insightful story that gives insight into Rhimes' personality. 

DESCRIPTION LEAD

Time magazine- Dec. 27, 2021

The Lead: 

Around 9 p.m. on July 27, as Simone Biles soared high above the vault at the Tokyo Olympics, she lost herself. You could see the confusion in her eyes..."

Comment: Shares the incident when Biles felt "the twisties" that freaked her out some! 

See this link for another anecdotal lead, this one is in a business story about the effect the "soaring" U.S. dollar is having around the world.  

MORE ANECDOTAL  LEADS

(Above) Former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley officially announces she will run for president of the United States. This is from the Charleseton Post and Courier on Feb. 2, 2023. 

The lead: "It was the 1970s, and Nikki Randhawa was having trouble fitting in at Bamberg Elementary. 

         Her father wore a turban. Her mother wore a sara. (continues)

 

Comment: This lead tells some of the challenges Ms. Haley had to deal with early in her life. 

In that same issue of the paper is this other front-page story with an anecdote lead. 

The lead:

To Rogan Gibson, the Murdaughs were like a second family. He grew up with brothers Paul and Buster, hunting, fishing, and driving ATVs on their family's spacious Colleton County estate. 

Comment: This lead and the one that follows show how close Rogan was to this family. 

     

      DIRECT ADDRESS LEADS

      Students will share their findings in a blog post that will look like this. 

      The lead: 

       If you're itching to get out of the house but are still a little wary of being particularly close to other people, these movie options may be a good choice. 

      Comment: Note the use of "you're" in the lead. Direct address leads try to engage readers by speaking directly to them with words like "you," "us," and "we."