9 Simple Ways to Write a Good Introduction Sentence

After I began my journey as a contract author, I struggled with writing introductions. I’d usually discover myself diving into the primary physique of the article and even wrapping up the conclusion earlier than circling again to the start.

The stress to craft an attention-grabbing opening was overwhelming, and I’d spend days making an attempt to determine the proper angle. The reason being that intros must be compelling sufficient to make readers proceed.

They must make a superb first impression.

Compelling readers to learn the article is an artwork type in itself. And when you don‘t do it properly, you’re lacking out on potential subscribers, leads, and clients.

On this put up, I will share some easy strategies that helped me write highly effective introductions that flip informal browsers into readers. Article introductions matter, and right here’s how one can make yours rely.

Desk of Contents

The way to Begin an Introduction

Writing a compelling introduction is essential for grabbing your reader’s consideration and setting the tone in your total article.

Whereas there are lots of approaches you’ll be able to take to your introduction, listed below are three widespread however efficient methods to begin an intro that captivate your viewers from the very first sentence:

1. Utilizing Quotes

Beginning with a quote can instantly have interaction your readers by introducing a voice or perspective that resonates with the theme of your article.

Whether or not it’s a well-known quote, a line from a related ebook or film, or a press release from an trade knowledgeable, a well-chosen quote can lend authority and context to your subject. It may additionally spark curiosity, encouraging readers to consider how the quote connects to the content material that follows.

Within the article, The Hidden Costs of Hobbies and Side Projects, the creator, Sam, begins with an nameless quote: “You need to sacrifice in life, or your life will change into the sacrifice.”

Whereas the article’s title is considerably worrying, the quote does intensify the ominous feeling readers will possible develop as they look at their very own lives to see what their hobbies and aspect initiatives is perhaps costing them and the way detrimental these prices are to their total well-being.

One other instance of how quotes multiply the affect an article intro has on readers is that this one in an article about the three deep books that rewired his mind.

Whereas the quote shouldn’t be the primary sentence within the intro, it does seem fairly early: “We query all our beliefs besides those we actually consider in” by Orson Scott.

This quote carries emotional weight, upsetting thought and stirring curiosity in readers. It makes them wish to discover out the titles of those books, how precisely they rewired the creator’s worldview, and if the books might help them query their very own deeply held beliefs.

2. Setting a Scene

Setting a scene firstly of your article can draw readers into a selected second, place, or scenario. This technique is especially efficient for making a vivid psychological picture that makes the subject extra relatable and interesting.

By portray an image along with your phrases, you invite your readers to step into the state of affairs and expertise it alongside you, which might make your content material extra impactful and memorable.

Right here’s an article titled Your OKRs Aren’t OKRs. Whereas business-related articles could be boring and monotonous, the creator of this one infuses life and shade into the piece by beginning with a state of affairs.

This state of affairs prompts readers’ creativeness, permitting them to “see” the context of the piece earlier than consuming the primary content material.

It’s additionally written in a manner that readers will possible be capable to relate, particularly because the creator discusses their very own former dislike for Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), displaying that it’s one thing of a common expertise for managers.

If you set a scene, you’re not simply describing a scenario — you’re creating an environment that evokes emotion.

Whether or not it’s stress, pleasure, nostalgia, or calm, the scene you set can affect how readers really feel as they start studying. This emotional connection makes them extra invested and extra more likely to proceed studying.

Professional tip: At any time when I’ve a related private or work expertise to share (that pertains to my article subject), I like to make use of my expertise because the intro (as I did on this article). However as an alternative of swapping one for the opposite, you’ll be able to mix a fictional state of affairs with an anecdote to create a stronger affect.

3. Utilizing Statistics or Enjoyable Information

Beginning your introduction with a statistic or enjoyable truth is a strong technique to seize consideration by shocking your readers or offering them with a bit of knowledge they won’t have identified.

This method can shortly set up relevance and credibility, particularly when the statistic or truth straight pertains to the issue or subject your article addresses. It additionally encourages readers to assume critically in regards to the topic, making them extra invested in studying extra.

On this article in regards to the benefits of eye contact, the creator referenced a research by Clever.com that exhibits that over 50% of employers interpret a battle to make eye contact as nervousness or a insecurity.

This statistic achieves two issues on this article. First, it educates readers who weren’t conscious of this truth. Those that battle to make eye contact, particularly in interviews, will wish to learn the article until the top to determine tips on how to repair this situation and enhance their possibilities of discovering a job.

Second, it lends credibility to the piece and, by extension, the creator. As a substitute of the creator merely saying that not making eye contact can lead others to assume one is nervous or lacks confidence, they discover and reference an precise research to show their level and emphasize the significance of eye contact in dialog.

Readers will extra readily consider the research and different articles by the identical creator as they’ve seen that the creator doesn’t pull claims out of skinny air.

Enjoyable details won’t be based mostly on surveys, however utilizing them in your intros is a, dare I say, enjoyable technique to quicken readers’ curiosity in your piece. The caveat is that they must be related to the subject you’re discussing.

Take, for instance, this enjoyable truth within the intro of an article titled, How Writing Makes The Invisible Visible (And Using This to Connect to Things Far Bigger).

The creator makes use of the truth that octopuses can style issues (and thus, pattern their atmosphere) with their tentacles to attract a parallel to how writing might help people “flip our complicated worlds into structured language.”

Certain, this enjoyable truth is nice to study, but it surely additionally provokes curiosity and helps readers assume critically in regards to the subject.

1. Preserve it brief.

I’m an enormous fan of brief sentences. I like them as a result of individuals can perceive them simply. There’s nice worth in brief sentences which can be readable, digestible, and punchy.

Writers usually get so caught up within the stress of a superb intro that they ship lengthy, run-on sentences. The issue with these sentences is that they make readers work onerous, which isn’t a fantastic incentive to maintain studying.

Whereas the size of an introduction can differ, it’s greatest to intention for brevity with as much as three brief paragraphs. Utilizing AI instruments like our Paragraph Rewriter software might help make your paragraphs extra impactful and concise.

Readers are impatient to get to the meat of the article, so do not bury the lede deep in your article — lower to the chase.

A great instance of a brief intro is that this one by Pablo Srugo for his article titled “I Was Supposed To Be a Millionaire at 25 … Instead, I Went Bankrupt.” The intro is simply three sentences lengthy and adequately enhances the attention-grabbing headline, prompting readers to proceed.

One other one is that this listicle explaining the top 15 software development trends. The intro shortly explains why software program builders should pay attention to these tendencies and segues proper into stated tendencies.

2. Say one thing sudden.

You‘ve most likely heard recommendation like “Create a hook” and “Seize the reader’s consideration.” However what sort of stuff really grabs somebody’s consideration?

The trick is to say one thing sudden — one thing that catches the reader off guard.

This may very well be a private story that’s relatable but shocking, a query that challenges assumptions, compelling information that shifts views, or a scene-setting sentence that transports the reader into a special context.

Give it some thought — your reader has already clicked on the headline. So, they’re excited by your subject. However now, it’s important to reel them in slightly additional.

In case your very first sentence is fascinating sufficient to make individuals wish to learn the subsequent one, then you definitely’ve carried out a superb job.

For instance, this intro for an article titled “Absurdism: The Philosophy That Changed My Mindset” begins off with a thought that many individuals battle with: Nothing good is happening in my life.

Whereas it is a stunning technique to begin an article, it does talk to readers that the creator has been of their footwear and understands what they’re going by. And so, individuals who had by no means heard of absurdism earlier than can be excited by persevering with the article to see if there’s something in it for them.

Right here’s one other instance of a fantastic intro, besides this one units the scene with a fictitious character named George, a recruiter whose job is to kind by 1000’s of resumes for brand spanking new job openings.

This scene helps readers image an atmosphere during which they’re key gamers. On this case, the character they’re regarding isn’t George however the candidates whose resumes get caught within the Applicant Monitoring System (ATS) and who look forward to a response that may by no means come.

George’s character supplies the required context for candidates to grasp what goes on on the different finish of their software as soon as they’ve despatched it.

3. Don’t repeat the title.

You solely have a number of seconds to make a robust impression in your introduction, so use that point correctly.

Whereas repeating the title of your article within the opening sentence would possibly appear to be a pure technique to begin, it’s really a wasted alternative. Your reader has already seen the title and clicked on it as a result of it intrigued them. Now, they’re in search of one thing extra.

As a substitute of reiterating the headline, use your introduction to bolster the promise made by the title and set the stage for the remainder of the article.

That is your likelihood to broaden on the subject, present context, and spotlight the worth your content material will deliver.

4. Use the phrase “you” at the very least as soon as.

The phrase “you” is a strong phrase.

It tells the reader that you simply, the creator, are writing the article with them in thoughts. You empathize with them, you care about them, and also you need your piece to resonate with them.

It is a easy trick that establishes an important connection along with your reader. It may rework an article from a distant, impersonal narrative right into a dialog that resonates with the reader on a deeper stage.

I’m utilizing this system on this article itself.

After discussing my expertise struggling to jot down introductions, I defined to you, my readers, why realizing tips on how to write compelling introductions is necessary and the way these strategies will assist you write higher intros.

5. Inform readers what’s coming subsequent.

As you craft your introduction, information your readers by letting them know what they’ll anticipate from the remainder of your article. What’s going to you be masking? What’s going to the reader study? How will this assist them?

By answering these questions in your intro, you set clear expectations and assist your viewers navigate your content material. They could simply leap to the part they’re most excited by or learn the entire thing. Listed here are a number of examples:

• “You’re about to search out out why sea turtles all the time lay their eggs on the seaside.”
• “And, when you’ve ever puzzled why sea turtles lay their eggs on the seaside, this is every little thing you must know.”
• “This text explains the 17 explanation why these wonderful creatures lay their eggs on seashores.”
• “Fascinating, humorous, and stunning, these are the explanation why sea creatures lay their eggs on the seaside.”

However you don’t all the time must be so express. Typically, a well-placed query is sufficient to assist readers infer that you simply’re about to offer them some good data or suggestions within the article.

Right here’s an instance of this from a enterprise article about handling a low performer:

After explaining how managers usually inherit workforce members they didn’t rent, and a few don’t meet the corporate’s expectations, the creator asks, “So what do you have to do when confronted with an underperforming workforce member?”

The presence of this query implies that the creator will reply it in the primary physique of the article, so readers know to sit up for it.

6. Clarify why the article is necessary.

It might be apparent to you why your article is necessary to your readers, but it surely’s as much as you to emphasise its worth and put it in context.

For example, say you’re writing an article about TikTok written for a advertising viewers. You possibly can lead with a shocking TikTok stat about its consumer base. Right here’s an instance:

“Up to now two years, TikTok’s consumer base has grown by 15% whereas different platforms are seeing stagnant or declining engagement. This means that entrepreneurs might wish to pay extra consideration to this short-form video platform.”

In two sentences, you’ve offered an fascinating tidbit and defined why it issues.

Take the introduction to this text. You will recall the next sentence: “And when you don‘t do it properly, you’re lacking out on potential subscribers, leads, and clients.”

My objective right here was to attach the subject of weblog put up introductions to a enterprise’s backside line.

This text by Rakia Ben Sassi about starting a YouTube channel does one thing comparable:

She units the stage by describing the concern, pleasure, and uncertainty individuals really feel when beginning a YouTube channel. Then, she talks about her credentials and why readers ought to belief her opinion (she launched her personal channel three years in the past).

Then, she explains why the article is necessary: It’s to assist readers who’re beginning a brand new channel or making an attempt to scale an current one.

7. Consult with a priority or drawback your readers may need.

Everybody in each discipline has their very own set of issues. You must have some listed already from whenever you created your buyer personas.

Addressing a selected concern or drawback your readers face is a strong technique to have interaction them proper from the beginning.

By acknowledging their challenges, you present empathy and instantly set up the relevance of your content material. Folks wish to clear up their issues, and articles that designate how to do that will make it easier to earn readership.

For instance, when you’re writing an article explaining how digital entrepreneurs can sustain with the ever-evolving digital panorama, you might say: “Feeling overwhelmed by the fixed adjustments in digital advertising? You’re not alone. On this article, we’ll discover methods that will help you keep forward with out burning out.”

This empathetic method helps you construct belief and credibility, because it demonstrates your understanding of your readers’ wants. If you faucet into the reader’s problem-solving mindset, they’re motivated to proceed studying seeking options, making your content material extra impactful and memorable.

8. Watch out telling tales.

Many individuals will let you know that you must write a narrative within the introduction to captivate your viewers. Stories can be a powerful tool to draw readers in, as they naturally spark curiosity and create an emotional connection.

Nonetheless, there are each good and dangerous methods to make use of storytelling in your introductions. The hot button is to inform a concise, related, and compelling story that piques your readers’ curiosity with out overwhelming them with an excessive amount of element.

Whereas it’s tempting to delve into a protracted and complex story, do not forget that an introduction goals to seize consideration shortly and set the stage for what’s to return. An extended-winded story can lose readers alongside the best way, diminishing the affect of your article.

If you happen to select to start your article with a narrative, contemplate withholding the conclusion of that story till later within the article and even till the very finish. By delaying the decision, you create a story thread that weaves by your article, sustaining your readers’ curiosity as you construct as much as the story’s conclusion.

For instance, say you’re writing an article about overcoming challenges in entrepreneurship.

If you happen to’re an entrepreneur your self, you would possibly begin with a brief anecdote a few time you confronted a major setback in your entrepreneurial journey.

Describe the battle you confronted and the way it appeared insurmountable on the time, however don’t reveal the way you overcame it simply but.

As a substitute, use the story as an example the theme of resilience and promise your readers that you simply’ll discover the way you turned issues round later within the article.

9. Use a stat or a truth to convey urgency.

When journalists start a information story, they usually give readers an attention-grabbing stat or truth about what is going on on.

As a blogger or any sort of author, a very fascinating stat or truth will draw your reader in and present them why your subject is actually necessary.

For instance, say you are a plumber writing a weblog put up on pipe alternative. You would possibly pull in additional readers when you begin a put up by explaining how continuously outdated pipes burst within the winter.

Or, when you’re writing an article displaying people how to spend more time reading instead of scrolling their phone screens, you can begin by sharing statistics on what number of hours younger individuals spend on their telephones day by day. Like this:

If readers see that it is a widespread situation that others face, they may preserve studying to find out how they’ll keep away from it.

Utilizing Generative AI to Write Content material

ChatGPT’s prompt and big recognition in late 2022 heralded severe discourse about utilizing generative AI to jot down content material.

Whereas there are some polarizing opinions on how generative AI must be used, there’s no denying that AI instruments like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Copy.ai have change into useful instruments for content material creators, together with myself. These instruments assist writers brainstorm concepts, overcome author’s block, and generate content material drafts.

In my expertise, they velocity up my writing course of by offering a place to begin, crafting compelling introductions, and suggesting various phrasings.

Nonetheless, whereas generative AI could be extremely useful, I don’t assume you need to solely depend on what it generates. AI instruments can produce coherent and well-structured content material, however the output usually lacks the depth and nuance that come from private expertise, deep analysis, and subject-matter experience.

Furthermore, AI-generated textual content might embody inaccuracies or “hallucinations” — cases the place the AI presents false or deceptive data as truth.

In this article, the workforce at IBM detailed a number of examples of AI hallucinations, together with the time Meta pulled its Galactica LLM (massive language mannequin) demo in 2022 after it supplied customers with inaccurate data that was generally rooted in bias and prejudice.

This is the reason you need to all the time fact-check something AI generates for you.

That stated, you need to use AI as a place to begin in your writing course of after which refine the content material with your individual (or third-party) experience to create an attractive and reliable piece. If you happen to battle with intros, listed below are the steps to utilizing AI to craft article introductions:

1. Decide the kind of introduction you wish to create. Are you beginning with a enjoyable truth, a quote, or by setting a scene? Every method requires a special immediate.
2. Subsequent, write a immediate that instructs the AI on what sort of intro you want. Be clear in regards to the tone, fashion, and content material you’re aiming for.
3. As soon as the AI software generates the textual content, learn it fastidiously. Search for any inaccuracies or areas that may want clarification, restructuring, or extra element. The AI’s output is only a draft; it’s as much as you to refine it.
4. Edit the AI-generated content material to include your individual data, experiences, and voice. Be certain that the introduction aligns with the remainder of your article and supplies an attractive begin.
5. Confirm any information, quotes, or details included within the AI-generated textual content and personalize the content material the place needed to make sure it resonates along with your viewers and displays your distinctive perspective.

Listed here are a number of examples of AI prompts for various intro sorts.

1. Stating a Enjoyable Truth

Immediate: Write an attractive introduction for an article about the advantages of morning train. Begin with a shocking enjoyable truth about how train impacts psychological well being.

Doable output: Do you know that simply 20 minutes of train within the morning can increase your temper for as much as 12 hours? On this article, we’ll discover how a easy morning exercise can set a constructive tone in your total day.

2. Utilizing Quotes

Immediate: Create an introduction for an article about management within the office. Begin with a strong quote about management from a widely known determine.

Doable output: “The best chief shouldn’t be essentially the one who does the best issues. He’s the one which will get the individuals to do the best issues.” This quote by Ronald Reagan completely captures the essence of management. On this article, we’ll talk about how nice leaders encourage their groups to realize extraordinary outcomes.

3. Setting a Scene

Immediate: Write an introduction for an article in regards to the challenges of distant work. Begin by setting a scene that highlights a standard battle for distant employees.

Doable output: It’s 7:00 AM, and also you’re already answering emails from the consolation of your kitchen desk. The road between work and residential blurs as you sip your espresso, looking for focus in an area that was as soon as reserved for rest. That is the brand new actuality of distant work, the place the challenges are as complicated as they’re distinctive.

Word: If you happen to discover it tough or time-consuming to jot down a complete weblog put up from begin to end, take a look at HubSpot’s free blog post templates that make it easier to save time with out compromising on high quality.

Making a Nice First Impression

Whereas setting a scene and/or sharing a related anecdote is my favourite technique to begin an article intro, I realized — and I hope you probably did, too — that there are a number of methods to jot down an introduction that packs a punch and prompts readers to learn until the top, together with utilizing quotes and sharing enjoyable details.

Nonetheless, whereas these strategies are glorious for creating curiosity, over the previous couple of years, I noticed that what actually retains individuals studying a bit is the empathy I, the creator, infuse into it.

Letting readers know that I do know and relate to their struggles and that I’ve a doable resolution for them, be it an alternate manner of doing issues or a contrarian thought to assist them broaden their epistemic horizons, is what retains them engaged.

So now, every time I write an introduction, I take into consideration what sort of introduction would make me wish to learn the article. I then use that to tell the method I take.

Introductions are onerous, and writing efficient ones takes time and observe. However keep in mind, it is all price it if it means holding the eye of some extra of your readers.

Editor’s observe: This put up was initially revealed in October 2015 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.