RFTM Chapter 8: Alternative Ledes

What is an alternative lede? It's a lede that is more creative, contextual and usually much more fun to write. It conveys an interesting idea or the essence of a story in a unique way. It requires intelligence, inventiveness and imagination instead of formula writing (although our approaches still require a devotion to the facts, as opposed to our feelings and opinions).

There are various types of alternative ledes, which we will look at with all examples being from stories related to the Cedar Fest riots that occasionally take place in East Lansing. Those types of ledes include:

Buried or delayed ledes. These begin with an interesting example or anecdote that sets a story's theme. Then it's followed by a nut graf, which in the case of alternate ledes summarizes the main point that the anecdote is illustrating, and provides a transition to the body of the story. (Nut grafs are a bit different with summary ledes; we'll get into that a bit later.)

Here's an example of a type of buried or delayed lede, which in this case is called a descriptive lede, which offers descriptive details that paint a picture before gradually moving into the action:

Joe Smith was enjoying a beautiful spring night with 4,000 of his classmates, drinking and partying and having a good ol' time.

The air was warm, the beer was cold, and most people were being cool about it all.Then, some people started go get a bit rowdy. A stop sign was torn from the ground. A pair of couches went up in flames. 

And that's when the tear gas cannisters began to fly.

Nearly 2,000 students were arrested, and another 2,000 hospitalized after the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot that required National Guard intervention before being brought under control.

In this example, the lede actually is an anecdote that extends over the first three paragraphs, or grafs. The fourt graf is the nut graf (which, like with most alternative ledes, sounds very much like a summary lede).

The goal here is to emphasize context and humanize the story, before we get into the nitty-gritty.

Question ledes, appropriate when the question is brief, simple, specific and provocative, such as:

Got tear gas?

Nearly 4,000 MSU students were able to answer "yes" to that question after the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot. leading National Guard troops to fire tear gas cannisters to disperse the crowd.

The first graf is your lede, and the second is your nut graf. This is also an example of a suspenseful lede, where we create suspense or arouse reader curiosity or raise a question in their mind, offering an explanation in the nut graf.

Shockers are ledes with a twist; a startling lede that immediately captures the attention of readers, such as in this alternative lede/nut graf combo:

Drinking is a rite of passage at many colleges. At MSU, that rite comes with tear gas.

For the sixth straight year, the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot, with National Guard troops once again dispersing the crowd with tear gas cannisters.

Ironic ledes are similar to a shocker, but offer an ironic contrast, like in this lede/nut graf combo:

Joe Smith went to Cedar Fest for the beer. The tear gas was an extra.

The latter came courtesy of National Guard troops, who were dispatched to break up the party after it degenerated into a riot Saturday night.

Words used in usual ways can provide the basis for an alternative lede, like in this lede/nut graf combo:

When Joe Smith headed to Cedar Fest, he figured it would be a gas. It was.

But not in the way he imagined. Tear gas was used by National Guard troops to disperse party-goers after the annual celebration degenerated into a riot Saturday night.

These are just a few possibilities. But there are as many possible ways to do an alternative lede as you can imagine. As long as the method tells the story in the best ways to emphasize what makes a story interesting, relevant and/or useful, and as long as it's based and true to the context and facts of the situation, then it's okay.

Silly stories should be silly. Sad stories should be said. Be true to the facts.

Missing: Different Kinds Of Lede/Nut Graf Combos

Most of you were direct and to the point in your ledes and then built upon that fact with a nut graf that helped answer questions created by the lede, like this:

In 2016 in Michigan alone, a total of 57,152 people were reported missing at one time or another, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Among the people missing are crime victims, runaway adolescents, people with Alzheimer's disease, distant parents, people who have tried to run away from their debt and people who have run away with lovers.

And that was fine. The lede established the basic premise of the story in a simple and direct manner. And then the nut graf that helped answer questions created by the lede, like, "why do they disappear?"


Some of you tried to take things a step further by looking at the basic fact AND a telling subfact, like, "who is it that disappears?":


Troubled youths and runaways make up for three-fourths of the 57,152 missing people reported in Michigan last year, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Out of Michigan's missing, 48,384 people were found with another 9,000 still missing. Police estimate that people missing involuntarily total no more than 100 in number.

Here, the nut graf expands on details by looking at how many of the 57,000 plus are still gone, and how many of those are gone against their will. It drills down into that 57,000-plus number a bit.

A few of you tried an anecdotal lede. This one had a lede that covered two grafs offering a personal anecdote symbolic of the larger problem, and then the third (nut) graf hits on that broader problem in a tone that sounds like a traditional straight lede:

Sabrina, a 14-year-old East Lansing resident and former runaway juvenile, is just one of the thousands of Michigan residents who have been rediscovered after earlier being reported as missing.

When Sabrina's parents divorced, she skipped town and moved to New York to get away from an abusive stepfather. Sabrina was discovered two years after she was reported missing after New York City police picked her up for shoplifting and prostitution, said Sabrina, who spoke on the condition her last name not be used.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, of the 57,152 men, women and children reported missing in Michigan last year, nearly 9,000 remain missing. Three-fourths of Michigan's total missing persons last year were runaway juveniles.

Here's another ambitious anecdotal lede:

Fourteen-year-old Sabrina just needed to escape.

Escape from her parents' divorce.

Escape from her stepfather, who would get drunk and hit her mom.

Just escape.

Sabrina, who spoke on the condition her last name not be used, is among the 42,864 juveniles in Michigan who went missing last year, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Now, there's one way I think I could enhance these ledes, and that's with a telling quote from Sabrina that would help humanize the voice and perspective. In the case of an anecdotal lede, the best place for a telling quote is between the lede and nut graf, and not after the nut graf like in a more traditional approach.

Which lede/nut graf combos do you like, or hate? And why?

More Ledes: Nut Grafs With Alternate Ledes

In this exercise, you were asked to do just a lede, with no subsequent paragraph. But some of you did ledes that in essence acted as a combination alternate lede/subsequent nut graf, combined into a single graf. (FYI, a nut graf is a paragraph that follows the lde, in which we add secondary details of importance and answer questions created by the lede. We'll get into nut grafs in greater detail in the very near future.)

What I did was split some of these ledes as follows, so you can see a concept we talked about earlier: that when you do a unique and contextual alternate lede, it is usually followed by a nut graf that sounds more like a traditional lede, fills in the specific blanks left by your general contextual lede, and offers a strong transition to the body of the story.

Let's look at a few examples:

Freedom might not be free, but neither is detainment.

Police chief Barry Kopperrud is proposing cost cuts for the city, starting with a $25 service fee for incoming criminals.

The lede nicely sets context, then the nut graf explains the details behind the context.

Next:

It looks like someone's been thinking on the wild side!

A group of scientists are interested in a project that would transplant African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America. 

The lede has fun with an odd concept, that of bringing Africa to America. So you reveled in the fun in the lede, then explained what was so unique in the nut graf.


Then, there's this:

Typically, 'til death do us part doesn't apply until after the wedding.

Scott Forsythe, 22, died in a high-speed accident around 8:45 this morning on Kirkmann Road after veering to avoid a dog. Forsythe was less than a mile away from the church where he was to be married today.

Certainly, the lede is creative, contextual and accurate. But let me ask you guys this: is it a bit too flippant and casual in noting the irony? Let's discuss.

Now, this is how you use a nut graf with an alternate lede. But it's a bit different with standard ledes. We'll get into that difference soon.

RFTM Chapter 8: Alternative Ledes

What is an alternative lede? It's a lede that is more creative, contextual and usually much more fun to write. It conveys an interesting idea or the essence of a story in a unique way. It requires intelligence, inventiveness and imagination instead of formula writing (although our approaches still require a devotion to the facts, as opposed to our feelings and opinions).

There are various types of alternative ledes, which we will look at with all examples being from stories related to the Cedar Fest riots that occasionally take place in East Lansing. Those types of ledes include:

Buried or delayed ledes. These begin with an interesting example or anecdote that sets a story's theme. Then it's followed by a nut graf, which in the case of alternate ledes summarizes the main point that the anecdote is illustrating, and provides a transition to the body of the story. (Nut grafs are a bit different with summary ledes; we'll get into that a bit later.)

Here's an example of a type of buried or delayed lede, which in this case is called a descriptive lede, which offers descriptive details that paint a picture before gradually moving into the action:

Joe Smith was enjoying a beautiful spring night with 4,000 of his classmates, drinking and partying and having a good ol' time.

The air was warm, the beer was cold, and most people were being cool about it all.Then, some people started go get a bit rowdy. A stop sign was torn from the ground. A pair of couches went up in flames. 

And that's when the tear gas cannisters began to fly.

Nearly 2,000 students were arrested, and another 2,000 hospitalized after the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot that required National Guard intervention before being brought under control.

In this example, the lede actually is an anecdote that extends over the first three paragraphs, or grafs. The fourt graf is the nut graf (which, like with most alternative ledes, sounds very much like a summary lede).

The goal here is to emphasize context and humanize the story, before we get into the nitty-gritty.

Question ledes, appropriate when the question is brief, simple, specific and provocative, such as:

Got tear gas?

Nearly 4,000 MSU students were able to answer "yes" to that question after the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot. leading National Guard troops to fire tear gas cannisters to disperse the crowd.

The first graf is your lede, and the second is your nut graf. This is also an example of a suspenseful lede, where we create suspense or arouse reader curiosity or raise a question in their mind, offering an explanation in the nut graf.

Shockers are ledes with a twist; a startling lede that immediately captures the attention of readers, such as in this alternative lede/nut graf combo:

Drinking is a rite of passage at many colleges. At MSU, that rite comes with tear gas.

For the sixth straight year, the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot, with National Guard troops once again dispersing the crowd with tear gas cannisters.

Ironic ledes are similar to a shocker, but offer an ironic contrast, like in this lede/nut graf combo:

Joe Smith went to Cedar Fest for the beer. The tear gas was an extra.

The latter came courtesy of National Guard troops, who were dispatched to break up the party after it degenerated into a riot Saturday night.

Words used in usual ways can provide the basis for an alternative lede, like in this lede/nut graf combo:

When Joe Smith headed to Cedar Fest, he figured it would be a gas. It was.

But not in the way he imagined. Tear gas was used by National Guard troops to disperse party-goers after the annual celebration degenerated into a riot Saturday night.

These are just a few possibilities. But there are as many possible ways to do an alternative lede as you can imagine. As long as the method tells the story in the best ways to emphasize what makes a story interesting, relevant and/or useful, and as long as it's based and true to the context and facts of the situation, then it's okay.

Silly stories should be silly. Sad stories should be said. Be true to the facts.

Missing: Different Kinds Of Lede/Nut Graf Combos

Most of you were direct and to the point in your ledes and then built upon that fact with a nut graf that helped answer questions created by the lede, like this:

In 2015 in Michigan alone, a total of 57,152 people were reported missing at one time or another, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Among the people missing are crime victims, runaway adolescents, people with Alzheimer's disease, distant parents, people who have tried to run away from their debt and people who have run away with lovers.

And that was fine. The lede established the basic premise of the story in a simple and direct manner. And then the nut graf that helped answer questions created by the lede, like, "why do they disappear?"


Some of you tried to take things a step further by looking at the basic fact AND a telling subfact, like, "who is it that disappears?":


Troubled youths and runaways make up for three-fourths of the 57,152 missing people reported in Michigan last year, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Out of Michigan's missing, 48,384 people were found with another 9,000 still missing. Police estimate that people missing involuntarily total no more than 100 in number.

Here, the nut graf expands on details by looking at how many of the 57,000 plus are still gone, and how many of those are gone against their will. It drills down into that 57,000-plus number a bit.

A few of you tried an anecdotal lede. This one had a lede that covered two grafs offering a personal anecdote symbolic of the larger problem, and then the third (nut) graf hits on that broader problem in a tone that sounds like a traditional straight lede:

Sabrina, a 14-year-old East Lansing resident and former runaway juvenile, is just one of the thousands of Michigan residents who have been rediscovered after earlier being reported as missing.

When Sabrina's parents divorced, she skipped town and moved to New York to get away from an abusive stepfather. Sabrina was discovered two years after she was reported missing after New York City police picked her up for shoplifting and prostitution, said Sabrina, who spoke on the condition her last name not be used.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, of the 57,152 men, women and children reported missing in Michigan last year, nearly 9,000 remain missing. Three-fourths of Michigan's total missing persons last year were runaway juveniles.

Here's another ambitious anecdotal lede:

Fourteen-year-old Sabrina just needed to escape.

Escape from her parents' divorce.

Escape from her stepfather, who would get drunk and hit her mom.

Just escape.

Sabrina, who spoke on the condition her last name not be used, is among the 42,864 juveniles in Michigan who went missing last year, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Now, there's one way I think I could enhance these ledes, and that's with a telling quote from Sabrina that would help humanize the voice and perspective. In the case of an anecdotal lede, the best place for a telling quote is between the lede and nut graf, and not after the nut graf like in a more traditional approach.

Which lede/nut graf combos do you like, or hate? And why?

More Ledes: Nut Grafs With Alternate Ledes

In this exercise, you were asked to do just a lede, with no subsequent paragraph. But some of you did ledes that in essence acted as a combination alternate lede/subsequent nut graf, combined into a single graf. (FYI, a nut graf is a paragraph that follows the lde, in which we add secondary details of importance and answer questions created by the lede. We'll get into nut grafs in greater detail in the very near future.)

What I did was split some of these ledes as follows, so you can see a concept we talked about earlier: that when you do a unique and contextual alternate lede, it is usually followed by a nut graf that sounds more like a traditional lede, fills in the specific blanks left by your general contextual lede, and offers a strong transition to the body of the story.

Let's look at a few examples:

Freedom might not be free, but neither is detainment.

Police chief Barry Kopperrud is proposing cost cuts for the city, starting with a $25 service fee for incoming criminals.

The lede nicely sets context, then the nut graf explains the details behind the context.

Next:

It looks like someone's been thinking on the wild side!

A group of scientists are interested in a project that would transplant African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America. 

The lede has fun with an odd concept, that of bringing Africa to America. So you reveled in the fun in the lede, then explained what was so unique in the nut graf.


Then, there's this:

Typically, 'til death do us part doesn't apply until after the wedding.

Scott Forsythe, 22, died in a high-speed accident around 8:45 this morning on Kirkmann Road after veering to avoid a dog. Forsythe was less than a mile away from the church where he was to be married today.

Certainly, the lede is creative, contextual and accurate. But let me ask you guys this: is it a bit too flippant and casual in noting the irony? Let's discuss.

Now, this is how you use a nut graf with an alternate lede. But it's a bit different with standard ledes. We'll get into that difference soon.

RFTM Chapter 8: Alternative Ledes

What is an alternative lede? It's a lede that is more creative, contextual and usually much more fun to write. It conveys an interesting idea or the essence of a story in a unique way. It requires intelligence, inventiveness and imagination instead of formula writing (although our approaches still require a devotion to the facts, as opposed to our feelings and opinions).

There are various types of alternative ledes, which we will look at with all examples being from stories related to the Cedar Fest riots that occasionally take place in East Lansing. Those types of ledes include:

Buried or delayed ledes. These begin with an interesting example or anecdote that sets a story's theme. Then it's followed by a nut graf, which in the case of alternate ledes summarizes the main point that the anecdote is illustrating, and provides a transition to the body of the story. (Nut grafs are a bit different with summary ledes; we'll get into that a bit later.)

Here's an example of a type of buried or delayed lede, which in this case is called a descriptive lede, which offers descriptive details that paint a picture before gradually moving into the action:

Joe Smith was enjoying a beautiful spring night with 4,000 of his classmates, drinking and partying and having a good ol' time.

The air was warm, the beer was cold, and most people were being cool about it all.Then, some people started go get a bit rowdy. A stop sign was torn from the ground. A pair of couches went up in flames. 

And that's when the tear gas cannisters began to fly.

Nearly 2,000 students were arrested, and another 2,000 hospitalized after the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot that required National Guard intervention before being brought under control.

In this example, the lede actually is an anecdote that extends over the first three paragraphs, or grafs. The fourt graf is the nut graf (which, like with most alternative ledes, sounds very much like a summary lede).

The goal here is to emphasize context and humanize the story, before we get into the nitty-gritty.

Question ledes, appropriate when the question is brief, simple, specific and provocative, such as:

Got tear gas?

Nearly 4,000 MSU students were able to answer "yes" to that question after the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot. leading National Guard troops to fire tear gas cannisters to disperse the crowd.

The first graf is your lede, and the second is your nut graf. This is also an example of a suspenseful lede, where we create suspense or arouse reader curiosity or raise a question in their mind, offering an explanation in the nut graf.

Shockers are ledes with a twist; a startling lede that immediately captures the attention of readers, such as in this alternative lede/nut graf combo:

Drinking is a rite of passage at many colleges. At MSU, that rite comes with tear gas.

For the sixth straight year, the annual Cedar Fest party degenerated into a riot, with National Guard troops once again dispersing the crowd with tear gas cannisters.

Ironic ledes are similar to a shocker, but offer an ironic contrast, like in this lede/nut graf combo:

Joe Smith went to Cedar Fest for the beer. The tear gas was an extra.

The latter came courtesy of National Guard troops, who were dispatched to break up the party after it degenerated into a riot Saturday night.

Words used in usual ways can provide the basis for an alternative lede, like in this lede/nut graf combo:

When Joe Smith headed to Cedar Fest, he figured it would be a gas. It was.

But not in the way he imagined. Tear gas was used by National Guard troops to disperse party-goers after the annual celebration degenerated into a riot Saturday night.

These are just a few possibilities. But there are as many possible ways to do an alternative lede as you can imagine. As long as the method tells the story in the best ways to emphasize what makes a story interesting, relevant and/or useful, and as long as it's based and true to the context and facts of the situation, then it's okay.

Silly stories should be silly. Sad stories should be said. Be true to the facts.

More Ledes: Ledes I Liked

Everyone did at least fine on this assignment, some by sticking to basic ledes, and others by trying alternative ledes.

Since you seem to have the former down pat, we'll look at the latter. Off we go:

Arrested? Prepare for a mug shot, fingerprints, and a $25 service charge.

It's basic and to-the-point, yet still a bit creative in terms of the question lede. It makes it sound a bit more conversational. So did this one:

In an attempt to cure East Lansing's financial troubles, committing a crime now costs offenders more than the humiliation of an arrest.


These next two one looked at the topic from a similarly-practical angle; what you may see as a result of the news:

Lions, elephants and giraffes may soon be found roaming a lot closer to home, as ecologists and biologists want to transplant African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America.

... and ...

While driving across the Great Plains of North America, how would you feel about looking out the car window and seeing giraffes, lions and elephants?


These next two went straight to context:

What could have been the happiest day of Scott Forsythe's life turned fatal after he was killed in a car accident driving 100 mph on the way to his own wedding.

... and ...

Just 15 minutes before 22-year-old Scott Forsythe was scheduled to say "I do," a decision to save a dog's life took his own.

Now, which ones do you like, and why? Which ones don't you like, and how come?

More Ledes: Nut Grafs With Alternate Ledes

In this exercise, you were asked to do just a lede, with no subsequent paragraph. But some of you did ledes that in essence acted as a combination alternate lede/subsequent nut graf, combined into a single graf. (FYI, a nut graf is a paragraph that follows the lde, in which we add secondary details of importance and answer questions created by the lede. We'll get into nut grafs in greater detail in the very near future.)

What I did was split some of these ledes as follows, so you can see a concept we talked about earlier: that when you do a unique and contextual alternate lede, it is usually followed by a nut graf that sounds more like a traditional lede, fills in the specific blanks left by your general contextual lede, and offers a strong transition to the body of the story.

Let's look at a few examples:

Freedom might not be free, but neither is detainment.

Police chief Barry Kopperrud is proposing cost cuts for the city, starting with a $25 service fee for incoming criminals.

The lede nicely sets context, then the nut graf explains the details behind the context.

Next:

It looks like someone's been thinking on the wild side!

A group of scientists are interested in a project that would transplant African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America. 

The lede has fun with an odd concept, that of bringing Africa to America. So you reveled in the fun in the lede, then explained what was so unique in the nut graf.


Then, there's this:

Typically, 'til death do us part doesn't apply until after the wedding.

Scott Forsythe, 22, died in a high-speed accident around 8:45 this morning on Kirkmann Road after veering to avoid a dog. Forsythe was less than a mile away from the church where he was to be married today.

Certainly, the lede is creative, contextual and accurate. But let me ask you guys this: is it a bit too flippant and casual in noting the irony? Let's discuss.

Now, this is how you use a nut graf with an alternate lede. But it's a bit different with standard ledes. We'll get into that difference soon.

Stats: A Good Alternate Lede

I've been very focused on you all doing basic journalism: a to-the-point lede, a strong nut graf, frequent attribution, and so forth.

But the goal isn't to write basic stories with basic ledes; it's to use the qualities of structure, simple and direct language, attribution and such to then reinstall creativity to our writing, so that we have something that is both fun to read AND fun to write; something that is engaging in style yet solid in journalistic principles.

I think this story -- and its alternate lede that stretches over the first four sentences/paragraphs -- does a good job of marrying fundamentals and a fun-to-read style. Note how it's not creativity for creativity's sake; it's an artistic style entirely rooted in the facts you're trying to emphasize. And it's followed by a nut graf (in the fifth sentence/graf) that sounds like a basic lede, but strongly supports the alternative telling:   

It’s the device that changed the lives of many people.

It has become the go-to for information regarding the news, weather, research, latest celebrity gossip and much, much more.

What is it?

It’s the computer.

There has been a dramatic growth of computer ownership and Internet use in American households from the early 1980s until now, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The U.S. Census Bureau conducted the survey as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS) on household computer ownership and Internet use by 
Americans.

The CPS is a large nationally representative survey of approximately 50,000 households conducted each month by the U.S. Census Bureau; this particular survey was conducted in October, said the survey.

The survey shows that since the early 1980s when computers first entered households, the number of households owning a computer has increased from 8.2 percent to 61.8 percent of 113.1 million American households.

According to the survey, of the 61.8 percent of households with computers, 54.7 percent access the Internet from home.

“Today, more than 76 percent of children ages 3 to 17 have access to a computer, as do 57 percent of all adults ages 18+,” said the survey.

Although computers and the Internet are becoming popular in the majority of American households, they aren’t for everyone.

According to the survey, of the 45.3 percent of households that don’t access the Internet but have computers, have a variety of reasons given for not connecting to the Internet.

A few main reasons given were having computers that are inadequate to access the Internet, people who felt they don’t need the Internet or weren’t interested in it, and the cost of the Internet was too high, said the survey.

The survey also said that many people don’t access the Internet because of a lack of time, lack of skill, language barriers, privacy and security concerns, and concerns about children accessing questionable material on the Internet.

Missing: Different Lede/Nut Graf Combos

Most of you were direct and to the point in your ledes and then built upon that fact with a nut graf that helped answer questions created by the lede, like this:

Last year in Michigan alone, a total of 57,152 people were reported missing at one time or another, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Among the people missing are crime victims, runaway adolescents, people with Alzheimer's disease, distant parents, people who have tried to run away from their debt and people who have run away with lovers.

And that was fine. The lede established the basic premise of the story in a simple and direct manner. And then the nut graf that helped answer questions created by the lede, like, "why do they disappear?"


Some of you tried to take things a step further by looking at the basic fact AND a telling subfact, like, "who is it that disappears?":


Troubled youths and runaways make up for three-fourths of the 57,152 missing people reported in Michigan last year, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Out of Michigan's missing, 48,384 people were found with another 9,000 still missing. Police estimate that people missing involuntarily total no more than 100 in number.

Here, the nut graf expands on details by looking at how many of the 57,000 plus are still gone, and how many of those are gone against their will. It drills down into that 57,000-plus number a bit.

A few of you tried an anecdotal lede. This one had a lede that covered two grafs offering a personal anecdote symbolic of the larger problem, and then the third (nut) graf hits on that broader problem in a tone that sounds like a traditional straight lede:

Sabrina, a 14-year-old East Lansing resident and former runaway juvenile, is just one of the thousands of Michigan residents who have been rediscovered after earlier being reported as missing.

When Sabrina's parents divorced, she skipped town and moved to New York t get away from an abusive stepfather. Sabrina was discovered two years after she was reported missing after New York City police picked her up for shoplifting and prostitution, said Sabrina, who spoke on the condition her last name not be used.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, of the 57,152 men, women and children reported missing in Michigan last year, nearly 9,000 remain missing. Three-fourths of Michigan's total missing persons last year were runaway juveniles.

Here's another ambitious anecdotal lede:

Fourteen-year-old Sabrina just needed to escape.

Escape from her parents' divorce.

Escape from her stepfather, who would get drunk and hit her mom.

Just escape.

Sabrina, who spoke on the condition her last name not be used, is among the 42,864 juveniles in Michigan who went missing last year, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Now, there's one way I think I could enhance these ledes, and that's with a telling quote from Sabrina that would help humanize the voice and perspective. In the case of an anecdotal lede, the best place for a telling quote is between the lede and nut graf, and not after the nut graf like in a more traditional approach.

Which lede/nut graf combos do you like, or hate? And why?

Missing: Another Liked Story

Upon hearing the term of missing, most people seem to connect it to kidnappings, robberies and murders, right?

In reality, a majority of missing individuals in Michigan choose to disappear on their own-leaving behind past conflicts and responsibilities in an attempt to start a new life for themselves.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, out of the 57,152 men, women and children reported missing last year in Michigan, about 9,000 remain missing and were never found.

Out of these roughly 9,000 individuals, police said that they believe less than 100 people account for victims of crimes; they said the number could be as low as 40 or 50.

“We find a lot of people disappear because they’ve got troubles, want to leave them behind and start over again,” Sgt. Manuel Cortez from the East Lansing Police Department said.

Cortez said that men account for more adult runaways than women do.

Among such individuals is Jason Abare, a 31-year-old man from East Lansing. Abare said that he left the state in order to escape paying $840 every month to his ex-wife for alimony and child support for his four children.

“I wasn’t going to give her a penny, not with the hell that woman put me through,” Abare said.

Abare said that as a carpenter, he was able to find a job wherever he traveled. He said that he “drifted” from job to job, and sometimes he would only stay a few weeks before leaving again.  

Abare said that he thought no one would ever find him if he frequently changed his location.

“It was easy, real easy,” Abare said during a jailhouse interview.

Abare said he is currently in the county jail for charges of nonsupport because the police discovered his real identity after they charged him for drunken driving and he failed to present a drivers license last month.

Squirrels: Ledes I Liked

A good number of good grades on this assignment. Good job, folks!

Additionally, you guys took different lede/nut graf approaches, offering a sampling of different ways to do the story. Here's a few examples. This first one was a basic lede/nut graf that did the job well. The lede summed up the problem; the nut graf detailed the consequences, and then you launch into the individual examples of squirrel-inspired woe:

         Lansing Community College officials are blaming squirrels for a recent run of car damage across campus.

          Students, teachers and staff members have faced repair bills amounting  
to hundreds of dollars after squirrels began nesting in their cars.

  Here, you did an anecdotal lede that took several grafs before getting to the nut graf: 

           For the past few weeks, Oliver Brookes couldn’t figure out why one headlight on his van refused to work.

           Despite having it replaced, the associate professor of English at Lansing Community College said he had continual problems with the headlight in his van. When he opened up the hood to poke around, he was greeted by more than just wires and machinery.

            “There was a big squirrel’s nest in the corner where the light wires were,” he said.

            Lately, squirrels have been causing quite the hassle for many LCC students and staff members by finding refuge under the hoods of cars.

In these next few, you had some fun with word play with fun alternate ledes followed by more to-the-point nut grafs:

         Nutty car problems have been occurring for the student body and faculty members of Lansing Community College this past school year.

          University officials have determined that squirrels are to blame for the issues students, teachers and staff members have been experiencing with their vehicles. 

... and ... 

                  Problems with your car? A furry friend may be the cause.

                  College officials at Lansing Community College are blaming squirrels for car problems being had by students, teachers, and staff members. 

... and ...  

             Students, teachers, and staff members at Lansing Community College are going nuts courtesy of many problems caused by a familiar animal: the common squirrel.

             Officials at LCC are blaming squirrels for an influx of car problems affecting individuals who work at and attend the institution.

And these silly ledes are okay. Why? Because this is a silly story. It's not because of your writing preference; it's because the tone is true to the facts. And the facts are unexpected and weird and yes, silly.

As long as you let the facts dictate the tone, then you're doing it based not on opinion but on factual context.

One person smartly took ultimate outcome to its ultimate point, by not just focusing on what squirrels were doing, but why:

Soybean derivative in electrical wires seem to be why squirrels are responsible for car repairs ranging from $184 to $425, according to university officials.

Each of these ledes is a good, solid lede. But which ones do you think worked best? And why?

Controversial: An Alternate Lede Good Example

It looks like the separation of boys and girls now includes more than cooties in kindergarten and middle school dances.

The East Lansing School Board unanimously voted Tuesday night to ban boys from playing on girl’s teams to ensure the safety of athletes participating in sports in the school district.

“I just don’t believe the sexes should be mixed in this case,” East Lansing School Board member Jane Tribitt said. “The boys are just too big and physical and it intimidates the girls on the team. It is a matter of safety.”

The policy was implemented after four boys tried out for and made the East Lansing High School girl’s field hockey team last year. The policy banning boys from girl’s teams says the size, speed and power of male athletes poses a hazard for female players.

“I just don’t think it is healthy mentally or physically to have the boys and girls playing on the same team,” Sandra Adler, a mother of a girl who was previously on the field hockey team, said. “There probably are girls who want to play on the boys football or baseball teams, but they are not allowed.”

The policy takes effect immediately and will ban boys from playing on the girl’s field hockey, volleyball and softball teams.

“If safety is the issue of concern for the board, then our girls teams would have to forfeit games if there are boys on the opposing teams,” East Lansing High School Athletic Director Hugh Baker said. “It would be unfair to force our field hockey team to have a losing record every year because it has to forfeit all those games.”

The four boys played on the team last fall and helped the team make the state playoffs. Students like senior Jacob Stevens were excited to return to the girl’s field hockey team this year.

“I don’t think it is fair,” Stevens said during the board meeting. “I enjoy playing the game and I haven’t had any of the other female players on the team complain about my being there. If we can’t play with the girls, we wouldn’t be able to play. There are not enough boys interested to create a men’s field hockey team.”

Controversial: Another Alternate Lede

Jacob Stevens was looking forward to playing his senior season on the girl’s field hockey team. As of Tuesday night, however, that won’t be able to happen.

On Tuesday night the East Lansing School Board unanimously decided to ban boys from girls’ sports teams. The ban will take effect immediately. The sports teams included in the ban are girl’s field hockey, softball and volleyball.

“I don’t think it is fair,” said Stevens.

“I enjoy playing the game and I haven’t had any of the other female players on the team complain about my being there,” Stevens said.

Officials cited safety reasons for the ban.

“I just don’t believe the sexes should be mixed in this case. The boys are just too big and physical and it intimidates the girls on the team,” said school board member Jane Tribitt.

Some however, think that the ban could have undesirable consequences for the sports teams.

High school Athletic Director Hugh Baker said he is concerned that with the ban the teams will be forced to forfeit games when the opposing team has both boys and girls on it and therefore not do well in the long run.

More Ledes: Ledes I Liked

Everyone did at least fine on this assignment, some by sticking to basic ledes, and others by trying alternative ledes.

Here's some basic ones:

The East Lansing Police Department will charge arrested persons $25 for mug shots and fingerprints to offset expenses, city officials announced today.

 ... and ...

 Scott Forsythe, 22, was killed this morning in a car accident on Kirkmann Road, just 15 minutes before he was to be married.

... and ...  

A group of Michigan State scientists have come up with a possible plan to transplant African wildlife in danger of extinction to the Great Plains of North America.

... and ...

 A six-month-old girl was left unharmed in her parents’ sport-utility vehicle after it was carjacked by an armed robber at the Quik Shoppe convenience store Wednesday.

Next up, let's look at some alternate ledes. Off we go:

Arrested? Prepare for a mug shot, fingerprints, and a $25 service charge.

It's basic and to-the-point, yet still a bit creative in terms of the question lede. It makes it sound a bit more conversational. So did this one:

In an attempt to cure East Lansing's financial troubles, committing a crime now costs offenders more than the humiliation of an arrest.


These next two one looked at the topic from a similarly-practical angle; what you may see as a result of the news:

Lions, elephants and giraffes may soon be found roaming a lot closer to home, as ecologists and biologists want to transplant African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America.

... and ...

While driving across the Great Plains of North America, how would you feel about looking out the car window and seeing giraffes, lions and elephants?

Here, someone took a secondary angle and highlighted it; the angle being, what would the move mean to those affected?

A new idea from Michigan State University scientists has Jim Smithson, a rancher in North Dakota, worried that his cows may be slaughtered by a possible new threat: lions.

This next one had a bit of fun with word play: 

A wild idea proposed for a transplant of African wildlife to the Great Plains of North America by Michigan State University scientists is stirring up controversy across the country. 

These next two went straight to context:

What could have been the happiest day of Scott Forsythe's life turned fatal after he was killed in a car accident driving 100 mph on the way to his own wedding.

... and ...

Just 15 minutes before 22-year-old Scott Forsythe was scheduled to say "I do," a decision to save a dog's life took his own.

... and ...

      Scott Forsythe was to be wed at 9 a.m.

At 8:45 a.m., half a mile from the church where his bride-to-be waited at the altar, Forsythe crashed into two trees and a fence at 100 mph.

Now, instead of a honeymoon, his bride will attend a funeral.

This next one very nicely went to end result and ultimate outcome: 


A 6-month-old girl was left unharmed in her parents’ sport-utility vehicle after it was carjacked by an armed robber at the Quik Shoppe convenience store Wednesday.
 

I liked these next two, too, that were centered on context:

Could you imagine a routine gas station visit turning into a search for your missing 6-month old baby? For Ethel Perakiss on Wednesday afternoon, this was a reality.
 ...and ...
    

                   When Ethel Perakiss’ car pulled up to the Quik Shoppe convenience store Wednesday afternoon, her six-month-old daughter was in the back seat. 

When the car pulled away from the store, her baby was still in the back, but a stranger with stolen money and a handgun was at the wheel.

This next one bridged the basic facts AND context:

A Michigan Avenue Quick Shoppe robber fled the scene Wednesday with money, a stolen car, and to his surprise, a baby.

Now, which ones do you like, and why? Which ones don't you like, and how come?