What’s a lead para?

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This is an initial paragraph. It is the first paragraph of an essay, article or book. The opening paragraph contains the essential information about the article or essay and the hook that keeps the readers interested. It is extremely important to get it right; otherwise readers will be led elsewhere.
The main paragraph of an article’s main function is to hook readers. This means that it must entice readers by letting them know what the article is about, without telling them everything they need to know. Once the reader’s interest is piqued, they will continue reading all the way to the end of the piece.

The paragraph should be short and specific and should have active sentences. Such paragraphs are best prepared by considering the what, where, when, why and how of the article. The writer also tries to highlight the conflict in the article, because it is the conflict or angle that provokes a response. The lead must also be deliverable in the body of the article.

The opening paragraphs of the essay require slightly different information than what is found in the articles. The essay host must address the question head-on and demonstrate understanding of the question. Then explain the angle of the answer taken in the essay, the path that was taken, and a basic outline of answering the question. None of this information needs to be detailed or explained in depth; this will be done later in the essay. The opening paragraph of an essay should be written last, after the conclusion.

The term ‘main paragraph’ has also found its way into novels and chapters. While less important in the chapter, it is also one of the hooks that persuades readers to buy or borrow a book. Readers will often look at two or three parts of the book when deciding whether or not to buy it: the plot, the first page, and, with some, the final page.

The key element of any opening paragraph of a book or article is the first line. This is especially the case in fiction where the first paragraph doesn’t explain the whole story. Classic first lines include Leo Tolstoy’s “All happy families are equal, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” in “Anna Karenina.” Another example is Dodie Smith’s “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink” in “I Capture the Castle.” The first line is the first step in a great first paragraph.

Learning to write a good lead paragraph takes practice and good writing skills. The best first paragraph rarely comes to mind right away. Writers often go back once the rest of the piece is done to work on the first line and first paragraph. This is because editing naturally improves flow and allows the mind to build on what is already there, but also because the writer understands the piece more deeply once it is finished than before it is written.

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