“A lead is a promise. It promises that the piece of writing is going to be like this. If it is not going to be so, don’t use the lead. A lead is good not because it dances, fires cannons or whistles like a train, but because it is absolute to what follows.”
— John McPhee, Pulitzer Prize winner, New Yorker author, Writing a Strong Lead is Half the Battle. (via futurejournalismproject)
The first time I read this quote, it completely jolted me. And it echoes* in my head a lot. A little bit of a reminder as to why I’m doing this.
*The word “echo” makes me think my head is empty and now I’m imagining words just bouncing around in there. Oh lord, back to midterm studying.
pixie sticks and magical wishes
