Beginnings
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Transcript of Beginnings
The Dramatic Lead
“You would usually be born from you own mother’s stomach, but not me…”
- Dramatic leads are eye catching and hold the readers attention
- Makes you want to finish the entire story
- Have an appropriate lead
- Give students options other than when on one
Starting in the Middle of a Scene
• Throws the reader into the action• Immediacy- sense of here and nowness• Can begin with an auditory sound or
dialogue • Example:“Crash! The baseball smashed into the
window.”
Leisurely Leads
• What is it? • A longer lead that can build suspense while
creating an introspective tone for the narrative
• A longer lead that gives the reader entry, and provides them with an idea of how the rest of the writing will be
Example: a rambling description of a place, feeling or experience (not punchy or to the point)
If you consider the beginning of a hard news story, a leisurely lead would be the opposite!
Beginning at the Ending
• “One day last spring, Louis, a butcher, turned into a fish. Silvery scales. Big lips. A tail. A salmon.”
• Starts at the end of a story and explains how such an ending came about.
• Used by journalists or essayists who begin with a surprising, provocative argument.
• Does not give the reader a sense of surprise, rather gives them satisfaction of knowing how the story ends.
Introducing the Narrator
• What is it?• A lead designed to introduce the
character who will tell the story• Designed to connect the reader with
the main character
• Ex: humorous intro, unreliable narrator, bold introduction, start with a question.
• Moby Dick, Three Little Pigs told from wolf’s perspective
The Misleading Lead
• Writers who explore powerful, personal subjects often begin with a blurting lead that tells too much too fast. • Example:
• Last summer Gilly, my pet guppy, had fifty-three babies.
• Writers need to be careful; readers may feel cheated, manipulated, and stop trusting the writer.