Good Lede - from The Guardian (by Colette Wilkinson)

UK storm leaves trail of devastation in its wake: Residents of Manchester street evacuated after hurricane-force winds ripthe front off three houses

“As Dean Hope battled his way back to Manchester from Gloucestershire on Wednesday, he didn't expect a scene of devastation on his own doorstep.”

I find this to be an effective lede because it pulls you into a personal story; one you can easily identify with. The use of the word “battled,” tells in one word the sort of journey he’s had already, only to be met with disaster at his own doorstep.

Ending the sentence there—at what he saw when he got there—entices anyone to read on. It’s intriguing.

Whether this is purposeful or not, I’m not sure, but I like to believe the subject was chosen for the irony of his name “Hope.” It adds to the rather tragic, dramatic effect.

Bad Lede from BBC “World” News (by Colette Wilkinson)

Syrian troopsbombard rebel stronghold of Yabroud

“Syrian government forces have resumed their bombardment of Yabroud, the last rebel stronghold in the Qalamoun mountains, activists say.”

As much as I hate to go against the BBC, I don’t like this lede because it seems to only repeat the title, giving us no more crucial details straight away. It feels repetitive and doesn’t encourage me to read on.

I think it would be improved if it pulled in immediately some details that reflect the immensity of the story, such as the hospitals are “filling up” with wounded people, or a witness seeing “the bodies of five people killed by the shelling.”  As it is now, these particular mentions are further down the page.