Revealed! The Secret Formula to Writing a News Lead That Hooks Readers in Just 10 Seconds

 

Revealed! How to Write a News Lead That Grabs Readers in the First 10 Seconds!

The easiest way for beginners to write a news lead is by using a who lead—starting with the “Who” element from the classic 5W1H formula.

When I first learned how to write news stories, a senior journalist told me that crafting the lead was the hardest part. Once the lead is done, the rest becomes much easier—you simply elaborate on the details, sometimes chronologically, about the reported event.

In journalism training sessions or public relations workshops on press release writing, I usually ask participants to write at least a headline and a lead. From that exercise, I’ve learned that for beginners—and most people—writing a lead is indeed challenging.

So, what exactly is a news lead, and how do you write one?

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What Is a News Lead?

A lead is the first paragraph of a news story. Journalists typically present the core or most important fact in this section.

In other words, a news lead is the opening paragraph that summarizes the most essential information clearly and concisely. This part must attract attention and maintain readers’ interest. Often, the headline is a shorter summary of the lead. Therefore, a lead may be longer than the headline.

Example:

Headline: President Visits Cianjur
Lead: The President visited earthquake-affected areas in Cianjur Regency, West Java, on Monday, December 5, 2022, traveling by land convoy.

According to Goenawan Mohamad in Andaikan Saya Wartawan Tempo (If I Were a Tempo Journalist), a lead has two purposes:

1. To attract readers to follow the story.
2. To open the way for the flow of the narrative.

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PRINCIPLES OF WRITING A NEWS LEAD

Below are the basic principles for writing a lead, especially for straight news.

1. Present the Most Important and Interesting Fact

This concept comes from Melvin Mencher in News Reporting and Writing (2008). He suggests that journalists should ask themselves:

• What is unique, most important, or unusual about the event?
• Who is involved—who did it or who explained it?

After answering these questions, journalists should consider:

• What type of lead is most appropriate?
• What writing style should be used?
• What will most attract readers if placed at the beginning?

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2. Follow the 5W1H Formula

A good news writer follows the 5W1H elements:

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
• How

Before writing a lead, ask yourself these six questions. Make sure the essential ones are answered—especially in the lead—and leave less important details for later. Remember the inverted pyramid structure.

In general, news is written using the inverted pyramid style, where information is arranged in descending order of importance. This allows readers to quickly grasp the key details and decide whether to continue reading. From an editing standpoint, it also makes it easier to cut the story from the bottom if necessary. Developed over a century ago, the inverted pyramid remains the basic formula of news writing (Scanlan, 2003).

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3. Keep It Simple

The best leads are concise and clear. Think about your story and write a simple yet powerful reflection of it.

Do not overload readers with complicated language or unnecessary words. Remember the ABC formula of journalism:

• Accuracy
• Brevity
• Clarity

These principles apply throughout the story, but they are especially crucial in the lead.

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How to Write a News Lead

The most common formula used by journalists is:

WHO did WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW

• Who = subject, person’s name, organization, actor, witness
• What = activity, event, occurrence
• When = time element (day, date, year)
• Where = location or venue
• Why = background, purpose, reason, motive
• How = process, details, atmosphere, chronology

The easiest and most common type is the who lead.

Example of a Who Lead:

“FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised the Qatar World Cup as the best in history.” (Kompas)

Another example using an institution:

“Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) urged coastal residents to be alert for potential waves reaching up to six meters.” (Antara)

A who lead begins with a name—either a person or an institution—followed by what they said or did.

Although there are many other types of leads, mastering the who lead is sufficient for beginners.

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10 Guidelines for Writing a News Lead (According to PWI)

The Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) provides the following guidelines, cited from Bahasa Jurnalistik dan Komposisi by H. Rosihan Anwar (1984):

1. Highlight the Main Point
   The lead must reflect the most important aspect of the story and should ideally not exceed three sentences.
2. Be Concise
   A lead should contain no more than 30–45 words. Shorter is better.
3. Be Easy to Understand
• Quickly understood and easily remembered
• Short, simple sentences
• Standard language, economical wording
• One idea per sentence
• Not overloaded with all 5W1H elements at once
4. Put Supporting Details in the Body
   Less urgent information belongs in the body of the article.
5. Prioritize the “What” Element
   People naturally want to know what happened first.
6. You May Start with “Who”
   Especially if the person is prominent or significant.
7. Rarely Start with “When”
   Time is seldom the most important element unless highly significant.
8. Order: Place Before Time
   Mention location before time when both appear in the lead.
9. “How” and “Why” Usually in the Body
   These are typically elaborated later.
10. Quotation Lead Is Allowed
    You may begin with a short quotation, followed immediately by the speaker’s name and context.

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That’s a practical guide to writing a compelling news lead—especially for beginners.

Source:
Romeltea.com, December 26, 2022

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