The Opening Paragraph: Get Their Attention

Written by Lesli Mack

opener You’ve just written a fantastic title. It’s a great hook that would get anyone interested in your article. Now that you have that title, the first paragraph has to be equally as dynamic to hold the reader’s attention.

The first paragraph of your article does many things:

First of all it tells the reader what you will be talking about.

Second, it tells the reader why they should be interested.

Third, it does both of these things in such a way that the reader can’t help but keep their eyes glued to the screen until the last word is read.

We are assuming that your paragraph will contain at least three sentences. Three to four sentences is good for your opening paragraph. You don’t want to give away too much, but just enough to peak your reader’s interest.

The first paragraph needs to make a statement. Let’s say that you were writing about the safety of airplanes. You have written a compelling title or headline for your article. Now, you have to say something that tells the reader where you are going with your title.

“You are ten times more likely to be involved in an automobile accident than in a plane crash.”

That sounds like a good first sentence for your opening paragraph. This line conveys two things:

1) Planes do crash, and

2) Planes don’t crash as often as some would like you to believe. With one sentence, you have stated your position and what you are going to be talking about within the article.

Why should the reader care about what you have to say?

You are going to be talking about airplane crashes according to the above scenario. Well, we know that airplanes crash. Why is it such a big deal to your readers? That is what you are going to explain in the second sentence.

“Airline pilots go through extensive training to learn to fly a plane, while automobile drivers are not always as competent when they hit the road with a license.”

Now, you have told people why they should be interested in the first sentence. Air travel has its issues but you can be assured of the training of your pilot. Other drivers on the road pose a bigger danger to you than the airplane.

The reason why the readers need to care is a thought-provoking point. You want to draw the reader into your way of thinking. With a compelling argument, even someone who doesn’t necessarily agree with your point will keep reading to find out what you have to say in support of your position.

Your opening paragraph is the introduction to your article. It needs to tell the reader everything they need to know about your article. How well you state this fact will determine if they continue reading or click on something else.

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