“Keep reading this introduction. It’s interesting!!”

Ten seconds is about how long it takes readers to decide whether or not they are going to keep reading something.

Leads and Grabbers are the first words or sentences in the introduction of a story that grabs the attention of the reader.

Five boys went camping in the woods behind Watson’s pond.

Greg had never seen a dead body before.

I like going on vacation.

Andy will never forget the time a rattlesnake decided to use his sleeping bag for a hiding place.

Hi! My name is Monica and I’m going to tell you about my best friend.

Amy thought the lock on her diary was foolproof, but she had a terrible shock coming.

Authors think about their audience when they write the introductions to their stories. Authors want to grab the attention of the reader so the reader will keep reading.

*There are several strategies you can use to help improve your lead to your story. *Let’s look at six different kinds of leads.

Examples: WHOOOO! WHOAAA!! A loud moan woke me from a peaceful sleep. CRASSSHHHH!!! Thunder boomed above my head as I raced for cover.

Example: The moonlight crept through the trees and beamed down on our campsite. Shadows of the swaying limbs seemed to grab us as we walked toward the fire.

Example: “You are going to regret this!” my best friend said as I boarded the roller coaster.

Example: All the people on the mountain were a blur as my skies carried me over the snow. It was almost as if I was flying just inches above the ground.

Example: My insides felt like they were being squeezed by an invisible hand. As I walked to the front of the class, my palms dripped with sweat. It was finally my turn.

Example: How could I look at my best friend again? What a silly mistake? I was totally embarrassed by what had just happened.

Or….you could use a combination of the strategies “

Identify which strategy or strategies the author used “ My nightmare started like this. I was standing on a deserted street in some little beach town. It was the middle of the night. A storm was blowing. Wind and rain ripped at the palm trees along the sidewalk. Pink and yellow stucco buildings lined the street, their windows boarded up. A block away, past a line of hibiscus bushes, the ocean churned.

SNAPSHOT Lead “ My nightmare started like this. I was standing on a deserted street in some little beach town. It was the middle of the night. A storm was blowing. Wind and rain ripped at the palm trees along the sidewalk. Pink and yellow stucco buildings lined the street, their windows boarded up. A block away, past a line of hibiscus bushes, the ocean churned. ~~The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Identify which strategy or strategies the author used “ “This is the principal. Would the custodian please report to the faculty restroom with a plunger…no, wait…a shovel and a plunger? And has anybody seen the gerbil from room 206?”

TALKING Lead “ “This is the principal. Would the custodian please report to the faculty restroom with a plunger…no, wait…a shovel and a plunger? And has anybody seen the gerbil from room 206?” ~~Mudshark by Gary Paulsen

Identify which strategy or strategies the author used “ Meg bounced around, trying not to hit her head on the trunk lid each time the vehicle went over a bump.

ACTION Lead “ Meg bounced around, trying not to hit her head on the trunk lid each time the vehicle went over a bump. ~~Kidnapped Book Two: The Search by Gordon Korman

Identify which strategy or strategies the author used “ Life was going along okay when my mother and father dropped the news. BAM! Just like that.

SOUND Lead “ Life was going along okay when my mother and father dropped the news. BAM! Just like that. ~~Superfudge by Judy Blume

Identify which strategy or strategies the author used “ My best friend, Tracy Wu, says I’m really tough on people. She says she wonders sometimes how I can like her. But we both know that’s a big joke. Tracy’s the best friend I’ll ever have. I just wish we were in the same fifth-grade class.

FLASHBACK Lead “ My best friend, Tracy Wu, says I’m really tough on people. She says she wonders sometimes how I can like her. But we both know that’s a big joke. Tracy’s the best friend I’ll ever have. I just wish we were in the same fifth-grade class. ~~ Blubber by Judy Blume

Identify which strategy or strategies the author used “ It was the time of year Farmer Bailey liked best, when summer turned to fall. He whistled as he drove along. A cool breeze blew across his face through the truck’s open window. Then it happened.

COMBINATION “ It was the time of year Farmer Bailey liked best, when summer turned to fall. He whistled as he drove along. A cool breeze blew across his face through the truck’s open window. Then it happened. ~~The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

What kind of lead will you use in your writing? “

Consider your audience. What will GRAB the readers’ attention?

NOW… It’s your turn! Let’s try it