Sticky Leads

The first twenty-five words of your article are the most important. If they're not powerful and "sticky", readers will not stop and invest the time to find out what your article is about.

Some writers write and rewrite their leads numerous times, changing a word here, adding a word there.I've heard of writers reworking the lead up to twenty times, until it is the best possible. Are leads that important? Absolutely!

Most people flick through a magazine first and then decide what to read. Your lead is the advertisement, a signpost telling readers what to expect.If readers like the lead, they will invest the time to keep reading. Your lead, known as "the hook", worked.

Editors and Leads

Editors have a built in detector for excellent leads. Anything that doesn't hook the editor won't be accepted. Your article may have a great topic, be well written, contain terrific research, include usable tips and ideas... but, sadly the lead let you down and your article was rejected.

Writing a Sticky Lead What makes a lead "sticky"?

  • An Invitation -- Come in and read my article, there's lots of information, inspiration and entertainment.
  • Being Direct -- A sticky lead is concise, direct and appealing. It doesn't ramble, or promise the impossible.
  • It Fits -- Your sticky lead is an introduction to your article and should be appropriate for the following material. Some people have written great leads but they didn't have much to do with the rest of the article. Readers really hate that, so please don't do it.
  • It's Natural -- Readers can tell if your sticky lead is forced, the flow is not good and you are not writing in a style that suits you. Readers are perceptive and much more knowledgeable than we sometimes give them credit for.
  • Example of What Works and What Doesn't

    This is an article about moving house.

    "One day we were driving along a nice country lane, enjoying the countryside. The weather was ideal, warm with blue skies and not much cloud.

    We had chosen this day to look at a new suburb because we had considered moving. The suburb was two hours drive from where we were living and we wondered what attractions it had to make us want to relocate." (65 words)

    This is a pretty sleepy lead. It rambles and doesn't have a hook.

    Take a look at this lead for the same article.

    "Two hours drive south of Big City is New Town. Jobs are plentiful. Homes range from bungalows to multi-level spacious accommodation. New Town is on the banks of Lake Special. The air is clean -- All the ingredients for a great lifestyle.Here's what to look for when you're thinking of moving." (52 words)

    The second version sets the scene and tells readers what to look for when considering a move. You are giving information, inspiration and entertainment.

    • Information -- Where the place is and what are the immediate impressions.
    • Inspiration -- All the ingredients for a great lifestyle.
    • Entertainment -- Even if you're not thinking of moving this might be a great place to visit.
    Think carefully about the lead when you start your next article.

    barb clews is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit barb clews to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.

    custom home cleaning Lincolnshire ..
    In The News:

    Reclaim your time from big tech with effective screen time reduction strategies for iPhone and Android, featuring steps to limit app usage and create phone-free zones.
    Amazon Prime Day shoppers face threats from 120,000-plus scam websites as cybercriminals prepare phishing traps and malware ahead of the July sales event.
    Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.
    The AEON humanoid robot tackles labor challenges with Nvidia AI, Microsoft Azure cloud and advanced spatial awareness, working alongside industry leaders Schaeffler and Pilatus.
    Google's Ask Photos feature brings AI-powered searches to your photo library, letting you find memories with natural language queries while maintaining privacy controls.
    The return of blue book exams emerges as universities fight widespread AI academic dishonesty and educators debate whether to ban AI tools or teach responsible usage.
    Signs your phone might be hacked include strange behavior, unauthorized texts, battery drain and pop-ups, while protection involves updating software and avoiding public Wi-Fi.
    Tokyo startup H2L has launched Capsule Interface technology enabling full-body robot control with muscle sensors, offering immersive remote operation.
    The A.I. industry seems set for growing pains as Big Tech companies scramble for solutions to the medium's unprecedented strain on the power grid.
    Fourth of July fireworks cause a 60% spike in lost pets, but GPS trackers and AI photo-matching services like Love Lost can help reunite missing dogs with their families.
    Protect yourself from jugging, the rising crime by which thieves monitor ATM users and follow them to steal cash, with six practical safety tips to stay alert and secure.
    U.S. airlines like Delta, American and United are selling your domestic flight records to government agencies through the little-known Travel Intelligence Program.
    Autonomous robots from Uber Eats are rolling out across U.S. cities, featuring LIDAR sensors, secure compartments and all-weather operation for food and grocery delivery.
    Costco has expanded into EV infrastructure with new ultra-fast charging stations that can charge most electric vehicles to 80% in 20-60 minutes while shoppers browse the warehouse.
    The new Gemini Robotics On-Device AI allows robots to perform complex tasks without internet, offering enhanced privacy, reliability and adaptability for real-world use.
    Protect yourself from Amazon phishing scams by spotting red flags like suspicious sender addresses and spelling errors while using Amazon's Message Center to verify communications.
    GAC Group's new Govy AirCab flying car combines lightweight design with advanced safety systems and smart cabin technology to revolutionize city travel with an 18.6-mile range.
    The Berkeley Humanoid Light (BHL) is a lightweight, open source humanoid robot that anyone can build using 3D-printed parts and off-the-shelf components.
    Meta’s new AI chatbot is getting personal, and it might be sharing more than you realize.
    A new threat targets both Android and iPhone users: SparkKitty, a powerful mobile malware strain that scans private photos to steal cryptocurrency recovery phrases and other sensitive data.
    Thanks to a team at the University of California, Davis, there's a new brain-computer interface (BCI) system that's opening up real-time, natural conversation for people who can't speak.
    Privacy risks are hiding in plain sight, as your personal data is likely being collected, tracked, and sold without your knowledge.
    VenHub, a fully autonomous, AI-powered smart store just opened at the LAX/Metro Transit Center in Los Angeles.
    A woman's Facebook account takeover reveals dangerous social engineering tactics and provides lessons on recovery, avoiding scams and enacting stronger security measures.
    Shanghai engineers are using 432 walking robots to relocate a complex, preserving Shikumen architecture while creating space for a modern underground hub and cultural center.

    Why You Should Write Articles or At Least Get a Ghostwriter to Write for You

    Overture reports over 1 million queries for article keyword related... Read More

    The Ins and Outs of Article Submissions

    Congratulations! You've written your first article (or possibly your 10th... Read More

    Every Writers Dilemma: How Do You Decide What to Write About?

    The sources of inspiration are all around us, in the... Read More

    10 Article Writing Quirks

    Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing... Read More

    Writers Block - Find an Article Topic in Minutes Anytime Anywhere with These 7 Tips Guaranteed!

    One question I get asked all the time is how... Read More

    Writing Articles Sells Books

    Are you a reluctant marketer for your book? Do you... Read More

    5 Dynamite Ways to Generate Ideas for Parenting Articles

    The key to selling reprints to parenting publications is the... Read More

    Why Article Writing is Increasingly Important in This SPAM Era

    There is no doubt that Spam has affected online business... Read More

    SEO Article Writing 101

    SEO writing is very different from content writing, article writing,... Read More

    Top 7 Tips For Submitting Articles Online

    Online PR in the form of website and ezine article... Read More

    Use Your Expertise to Write That Article!

    Have you ever seen articles that are not only related... Read More

    From Idea To Published Book ... How To Self-publish The Easy Way!

    I've been involved in publishing for over a decade now... Read More

    Do You Know the 7 Essential Parts that Make Up a Resource Box

    The Whole reason you write those articles is so you... Read More

    Building Websites with Articles

    I've been blogging occasionally over the last two months about... Read More

    A Writers Glossary (Part Three)

    Find definitions from Q to Z... ~~~~~~~~~~~ Q ~~~~~~~~~~~ Query... Read More

    13 Techniques That Boosts The Power Of Your Resource Box!

    ***What is the Resource box?'Resource box' is an information box... Read More

    Direct Sales Reps CAN Write Articles - Heres How!

    We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More

    Become An Expert

    Everyone focuses their web marketing efforts on search engines, and... Read More

    Writing Articles that Get Read

    Writing articles is one of the best and most effective... Read More

    Building Your Site With Other Peoples Content--Part 2

    Earlier, I published part 1 of this series, which contained... Read More

    There is an Article Deep Down Inside of You Just Looking to Bust Out

    The Most Economical Way to Advertise online is to Submit... Read More

    Marketing Articles: Promoting Your Site Twice!

    I recently became aware that promoting your web site in... Read More

    The Best Advertisement For Your Business

    It is no secret among internet marketers that writing articles... Read More

    Internet Marketing: Secrets of Writing Keyword Rich Articles in Six Easy Steps

    Determining keywords is a critical step in writing articles online... Read More

    A Simple Suggestion to Improve Your Article Marketing

    Article marketing is becoming more and more popular, especially as... Read More

    move in cleaning service Glencoe ..