Feature Lead Practice

In a feature article, the lead is the first few sentences of the article. These sentences are designed to draw the reader's attention, dragging them into the rest of the article by building interest in a story. The lead has to also give the reader a general idea of what the article will be about, setting the tone for the rest of the writing.

In general, there are 6 main types of leads. These include:

• Narrative - tells a story to connect the reader with the article
• Descriptive - describes an event, person, or object
• Direct quote - uses a narrative style in combination with a powerful quote from someone notable
• Startling Statement - a statement that startles the audience, usually through extreme scenarios or information
• Compare and Contrast - often compares the past to the present or future
• Twist - hooks the audience by building one emotion and then quickly twisting it into a different one.

In preparation for making my final magazine, learning to write a Feature Article is an important step that I have to take. To start out, I practiced making leads. Here they are!