The “who” in the lead above are the bargainers from General Motors and the
UAW. What are the bargainers doing? The lead says they will resume talks.
When will the bargainers resume talks? The bargain are meeting this morning
In our story, the “where” is Warren. Why are the bargainers meeting? The
bargainers are meeting to discuss the transfer of jobs (-Knox).
The reader should know this information at first glance so they are aware what
the story is about and what the emphasis is on.
The lead sets the structure for the rest of the story. If the lead is good, the rest of
the story comes together easily. Many reporters spend half their writing time on
the lead alone. One guiding principle behind story organization is: the structure of
the story can help the reader understand what the author is writing about. The
structure should lead the reader from idea to idea simply and clearly. The object
is to give readers information, and wow them with convoluted style.