Follow the Leader

As the warmth of the morning sun woke Stacey, she noticed the bedroom she fell asleep in the night before was no more. The only things left were her comforters, sheets, and mattress that was now afloat on the Hudson River. "But I went to sleep in Florida," said Stacey.


This was my poor attempt at a suspenceful lead! Two major components of a good lead are keeping the reader intrigued and keeping the tone of the lead consistant with the information in the story. Generally, I enjoy the style of leads found in magazines vs. newspapers because they have more room to draw the reader in. But I was able to find two great examples from The Washington Post and The New York Times:


You Gotta Love the First Lady. No, Really, You Have No Choice.







By Robin Givhan Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, February 15, 2009;













The rise of first lady Michelle Obama as an icon -- of fashion, black womanhood, working motherhood and middle-class success -- has propelled her onto a pedestal that would surely give the average person vertigo. She is Jackie Kennedy, Sojourner Truth, Hillary Clinton and a Horatio Alger character all rolled into one J. Crew-clad package.

Hey finish reading the article>>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/12/AR2009021204221.html?sub=AR

Economy Adjusts Store Relations on Madison Avenue

By ERIC WILSON
Published: February 17, 2009

WHO among us, man or woman, rich or less than rich, fashion reporter or prostitute, cannot relate to the “Pretty Woman” experience of walking into a designer boutique and being made to feel unwelcome by a snooty salesclerk?

If you like the lead, finish the article>>> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/fashion/18SHOPPING.html?ref=fashion