on writing well leads! by william zinsser. on writing well by wm. zinsser the lead “the most...
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On Writing WellOn Writing WellLeads!Leads!
by William Zinsser
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead
“The most important sentence in a {paper} is the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence your {paper} is dead.” (Zinsser 59)
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead
“… if the second sentence does not induce him to continue to the third sentence, it is equally dead.” (Zinsser 59)
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead
“Of such a progression of sentences, each tugging the reader forward until he is safely hooked, a writer constructs that fateful unit: the ‘lead’.” (Zinsser 59)
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead
“… the length may depend on the audience that you are writing for.” (Zinsser 59)
When writing an academic paper that is under 20 pages you should be able to capture the reader’s attention and deliver your argument via the thesis statement in one well crafted paragraph.
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The LeadWhen writing an academic paper that is under 20 pages you should be able to capture the reader’s attention and deliver your argument via the thesis statement in one well crafted paragraph.
Remember: you are writing for a professional ‘expert’ audience. This reader is reading to find out the depth of your knowledge and your ability to construct a thesis and defend it. This is the person who assigned the paper in the first place! Avoid at all costs telling them something they already know without couching the facts within your angle and argument. The purpose of the lead is to make the reader care about your thesis and curious enough to read the rest of the paper to find out if you can make your case.
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The LeadYour thesis is the conclusion to your argument. An argument consists of reasons advanced toward a conclusion. Your body paragraphs should show a development of your reasoning toward your conclusion… i.e. thesis.
Remember: you are writing for a professional ‘expert’ audience who already knows the answer but needs to see how you are going to get there.
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The LeadYour thesis is the conclusion to your argument. An argument consists of reasons advanced toward a conclusion. Your body paragraphs should show a development of your reasoning toward your conclusion… i.e. thesis.
Remember: The purpose of your lead is to differentiate (in a positive sense!) your
paper from the rest of the papers in THE PILE!
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The LeadYour thesis is the conclusion to your argument. An argument consists of reasons advanced toward a conclusion. Your body paragraphs should show a development of your reasoning toward your conclusion… i.e. thesis.
Remember: Your thesis statement should be the last sentence (or two) in the lead
paragraph.
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead -- NO! NO’s!Never lead your paper with a quotation. Quotations make excellent evidence, however they may lead to inferences beyond what you intend. Leading with a quotation can often lead the reader to infer that you are more confident with someone else’s words than your own. You may sandwich a quotation between your lead and your thesis, but it should assume a subordinate role to your words. It is tough to compete with anyone who is published and quotable!
Remember: The body of the paper will defer to the experts through quotations, paraphrases, and other
evidence. Your lead is your opportunity to show your skills up front!
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead -- NO! NO’s!“… cajole… with freshness… novelty…paradox… humor… surprise…an unusual idea… an interesting fact… or with a question.” (Zinsser 60)
Remember: You have to ALWAYS AVOID telling the reader something obvious that he/she already
knows!
Weak and boring leads often begin “such and such a story by soandso the writer offers blahblahblah”
There is a time and place for simple and declarative identification of factual detail, but not in
your first sentence!
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
The Lead -- NO! NO’s!“… (the lead) must provide a few hard details that tell the reader why the piece was written and why he ought to read it.” (Zinsser 60)
Remember: It is OK to provide some basic identification of the title, author, techniques etc. while revealing your angle to
the paper. The angle allows the reader a glimpse at where you are going with the argument…. right before you state the
conclusion via your thesis.
Your ‘angle’ is the position you are taking toward the argument. If you are writing about feminism and Hemingway,
we want to know up front if you think Hem. is a male chauvinist pig who couldn’t write a realistic female character
even if he channeled Willa Cather via a Ouija board.
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
LEAD-ANGLE-THESISLead-attention grabber that flows
from the title
Angle-facts within your take on the argument… the SO WHAT!
Thesis-the conclusion to your argument… this better address the SO
WHAT.
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
LEAD-ANGLE-THESISIt would seem that your revision efforts would mostly focus on the evidence that
you are advancing toward your conclusion, however most good writers spend the
majority of their revision time on the first page of their papers.
TitleLeadAngleThesis
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
THESISA strong thesis:
Takes a standJustifies discussion
Expresses one main ideaIs specific
(and appropriate for the development of your argument in the required length of the paper)
On Writing Well On Writing Well by Wm. Zinsserby Wm. Zinsser
WORK
“There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring.”
Ernest Hemingway