Blogging

“The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead. And if the second sentence doesn’t induce him to continue to the third sentence, it’s equally dead. Of such a progression of sentences, each tugging the reader forward until … safely hooked, a writer constructs that fateful unit: the lead.”

— William Zinsser, On Writing Well

With respect, I must disagree with Mr. Zinsser. We all know the most important part of any article is the title. Without a compelling title, your reader won’t even get to the first sentence. After the title, however, the first few sentences of your article are certainly the most important part.

Journalists call this critical, introductory section the “lede,” and when properly executed, it’s the bridge that carries your reader from an attention-grabbing headline to the body of your blog post. If you want to get it right, try one of these 10 clever ways to open your next blog post with a bang.

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10 Brilliant Examples of How to Open Your Blog Post With a BangRead More »

In January 2007, Leo Babauta launched his blog – ZenHabits – to share what he’d learned about simple living, changing habits and how to create an amazing life. With a full-time job, a part-time freelance writing career and a wife and six kids, he had no free time, no money to invest and little knowledge about blogging. But that didn’t stop him.

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20 Questions for Leo Babauta of Zen HabitsRead More »