A LEXICON OF LEDES
Adapted from Jack Hart’s concept
SUMMARY LEDE – Summarize the story.
Instantly clear – good for issues stories of breaking news
“The University of Oregon must move more women into higher-level faculty jobs or face federal sanctions.”
BLIND LEDES
Leaves out confusing details in order to hook the reader
WRAP LEDE
Combines several items
ANECDOTE LEDE
A story with a beginning middle and end. Should illustrate story’s central theme
NARRATIVE LEDE
Launches into action of a story with character in a scene pitting them against some kind of complication. “Bookend narrative” - begins with relevant action, changes to standard feature style for middle, then completes the narrative as a kicker
SCENE SETTER LEDE
Description of scene – might contain action, sense of place. Used for topics involving a location, perhaps.
SCENE WRAPS or GALLERY LEDE
Series of scenes or pictures that all illustrate that something is happening in a variety of places
SIGNIFICANT DETAIL LEDE
One specific small detail that illustrates the story’s theme
SINGLE INSTANCE or MICROCOSM or EMBLEM LEDE – I guess also known as an “emblem” lede, if one person is emblematic of the issue
One example that illustrates a larger topic.
LYDIA LEDE - short punchy emotional thematic sum up statement. “Ice reigns in the arctic.”
MAXIM LEDE - Some sort of maxim like statement. I find this weak.
“The people who are closest to a thing are often the most wary of it. Technologists know how phones really work, and many have decided they don’t want their own children anywhere near them.”
SENSE OF PERSON LEDE
describe a person. Or sense of time? It was the best of times it was the worst of times?
QUOTE LEDE
Also used to be banned from newsrooms
PROBLEM LEDE
“The picture you get from some waterproof cameras look like they were taken underatwer even when they weren’t.”
-STATISTIC LEDE
-Word Play Leads??
QUESTION LEDE
A lot of editors don’t like it.
SHIRT TAIL LEDE??