The "dos and don'ts" of leads

Before this class I did not know very much about writing leads, but already I have learned many things involving the “do’s and don’ts”. I have learned a lot about how important it is to be detailed when writing a lead and making sure you don’t add extra information that is not needed. I also have realized the importance of including the unusual part of the story in the lead and keeping it interesting. I have learned that it is better to try writing from a positive standpoint instead of a negative one. An additional point brought to my attention was the increased effectiveness of a lead when strong and descriptive verbs are used rather than more passive, softer ones.