Even Stephen King needs to write introductions that grab readers - though it may come naturally for him now. For the rest of us, here’s a “cheat sheet” for writing leads.

First, though, a writing quip from Sol Stein:

“Other [writers] find excuses for not writing at the same time every day, balk at re-revising incessantly, or excuse themselves because their lives are beset by difficulty,” writes Sol Stein in Stein on Writing. “I am deaf to that excuse because I worked with the most disadvantaged writer in history, Christy Brown, who had the use of his brain, the little toe on his left foot, and little else.”

Can you imagine writing with your little toe? Stein goes on to say:

“I published five of Christy Brown’s books, one of which made the national bestseller lists. I urge you to see the video of a remarkable film called My Left Foot. It won an Oscar for Daniel Day-Lewis, who played Christy. The film may cure you of fishing for an excuse for not writing.” (Click the DVD cover for more information).

Not that you have no reason not to write, here’s how to write an introduction that hooks readers, editors, and publishers.

5 Types of Leads That Keep Readers Reading

1. Connect two things that don’t belong together. A paradox or puzzling phenomenon can keep your readers with you. Writing an introduction that contains two wildly opposing elements requires a little creativity. Here’s an example of a lead that could grab readers by the throat.

• Example of a lead that joins two contrasting elements: “Writers are troublemakers. A psychotherapist tries to relieve stress, strain, and pressure. Writers are not psychotherapists. Their job is to give readers stress, strain, and pressure.”

2. Make the reader curious. Make them wonder who, what, when, why, where, and how. You don’t have to ask a question, but you can hook readers by forcing them to read beyond the first sentences. Make them desperate to keep reading.

• Example of a lead that makes the reader curious: “Oh no, not another shoe,” Sharon Bennett remembers telling her husband, Michael.” (Maclean’s, “Mystery Afoot,” July 7, 2008). This article is about severed feet that keep getting washed up on the shores of British Columbia. ”If it’s normal for feet to wash up, shouldn’t it happen all the time?”

3. Add a visual element. “A visual element can almost always be introduced to perk up a lead. This one conveys the attitude of the person without the cliché of ‘maintaining his innocence,’” writes Stein in Stein on Writing. How do you write an introduction with a visual element? Visit the scene of the “crime.”

• Example of a lead with a visual element: “Carl Gardhof, his head held high as if he had done nothing wrong, was sentenced in Superior Court to eighteen months in jail this morning for stealing a Bible.” This example of a writing lead also incorporates the element of curiosity! Why would Gardhof be jailed for stealing a Bible? Who’d he steal it from?

4. Focus on an individual. This type of lead gives readers a glimpse into other people’s lives. But it can’t just be any old life, it has to be something that makes readers sit up and take note. Here’s an example of an introduction that could grab some people.

• Example of a lead with a visual element: “Since learning last year that he had multiple sclerosis, Andy Torok has become less and less steady on his feet, and his worries have accumulated along with the hand prints on his apartment’s white walls.”

5. Portray the individual doing or saying something. This type of lead is an extension of the introduction that focuses on an individual. Now you’ve got the character performing an action - or maybe even getting ready for some action to happen to her.

• Example of a lead with a character performing an action: “It is nearly 10 p.m., and the toll taker at the Triborough Bridge’s Manhatten Plaza is near the end of her shift. Her routine is methodological, icily efficient. She glances out the window to see the kind and size of vehicle approaching….”

These examples were mostly taken from Sol Stein’s Stein on Writing (except for the Maclean’s example).

Other types of writing leads that hook readers:

• Quotations
• Statistics
• Dramatic examples
• Anecdotes
• Strong emotions

Bonus Writing Link:

Here’s a link to Missy Frye’s Writing Carnival. She’s gathered an assortment of writing advice, from “what I learned from writing a novel” to an interview with a children’s author. Check it out - it’s like a buffet of writing tips!