9 Simple Ways to Write a Good Introduction Sentence

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

The strain to craft an attention-grabbing opening was overwhelming, and I’d spend days attempting to determine the suitable angle. The reason being that intros need to be compelling sufficient to make readers proceed.

They need to make a superb first impression.

Compelling readers to learn the article is an artwork kind in itself. And in the event you don‘t do it effectively, you’re lacking out on potential subscribers, leads, and prospects.

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 depend.

Desk of Contents

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

Whereas there are numerous approaches you’ll be able to take to your introduction, listed below are three frequent 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 business knowledgeable, a well-chosen quote can lend authority and context to your subject. It could 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 writer, Sam, begins with an nameless quote: “You need to sacrifice in life, or your life will turn 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 facet tasks is likely to be 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 isn’t the primary sentence within the intro, it does seem fairly early: “We query all our beliefs besides those we actually imagine in” by Orson Scott.

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

2. Setting a Scene

Setting a scene at first 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 together with your phrases, you invite your readers to step into the state of affairs and expertise it alongside you, which may make your content material extra impactful and memorable.

Right here’s an article titled Your OKRs Aren’t OKRs. Whereas business-related articles might be boring and monotonous, the writer of this one infuses life and colour 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 principle content material.

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

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

Whether or not it’s rigidity, 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: Each time 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 Info

Beginning your introduction with a statistic or enjoyable truth is a strong approach to seize consideration by shocking your readers or offering them with a bit of knowledge they may not have identified.

This strategy can rapidly set up relevance and credibility, particularly when the statistic or truth instantly 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 writer referenced a examine by Clever.com that exhibits that over 50% of employers interpret a wrestle 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 wrestle to make eye contact, particularly in interviews, will wish to learn the article until the tip to determine find out how to repair this situation and improve their possibilities of discovering a job.

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

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

Enjoyable information may not be primarily based on surveys, however utilizing them in your intros is a, dare I say, enjoyable approach to quicken readers’ curiosity in your piece. The caveat is that they need to 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 writer 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 may also help of us “flip our advanced worlds into structured language.”

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

Whereas the size of an introduction can range, it’s finest to purpose for brevity with as much as three brief paragraphs. Utilizing AI instruments like our Paragraph Rewriter device may also 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 rapidly explains why software program builders should pay attention to these developments and segues proper into stated developments.

2. Say one thing surprising.

You‘ve in all probability heard recommendation like “Create a hook” and “Seize the reader’s consideration.” However what sort of stuff truly grabs somebody’s consideration?

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

This could possibly be a private story that’s relatable but shocking, a query that challenges assumptions, compelling knowledge 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 considering your subject. However now, it’s important to reel them in a bit of additional.

In case your very first sentence is attention-grabbing sufficient to make folks wish to learn the subsequent one, you then’ve completed 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 wrestle with: Nothing good is occurring in my life.

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

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

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

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

3. Don’t repeat the title.

You solely have just a few 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 seem to be a pure approach to begin, it’s truly 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 probability to broaden on the subject, present context, and spotlight the worth your content material will deliver.

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

The phrase “you” is a strong phrase.

It tells the reader that you simply, the writer, 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 together with your reader. It could remodel an article from a distant, impersonal narrative right into a dialog that resonates with the reader on a deeper degree.

I’m utilizing this method on this article itself.

After discussing my expertise struggling to write down introductions, I defined to you, my readers, why understanding find out 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 will count on from the remainder of your article. What is going to you be protecting? What is 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 considering or learn the entire thing. Listed here are just a few examples:

• “You’re about to seek out out why sea turtles at all times lay their eggs on the seaside.”
• “And, in the event you’ve ever puzzled why sea turtles lay their eggs on the seaside, this is every part you want to 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 at all times need to be so specific. Generally, a well-placed query is sufficient to assist readers infer that you simply’re about to provide 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 typically inherit staff members they didn’t rent, and a few don’t meet the corporate’s expectations, the writer asks, “So what must you do when confronted with an underperforming staff member?”

The presence of this query implies that the writer will reply it in the principle physique of the article, so readers know to stay up for it.

6. Clarify why the article is necessary.

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

As an illustration, say you’re writing an article about TikTok written for a advertising and marketing viewers. You can lead with a shocking TikTok stat about its person base. Right here’s an instance:

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

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

Take the introduction to this text. You may recall the next sentence: “And in the event you don‘t do it effectively, you’re lacking out on potential subscribers, leads, and prospects.”

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 worry, pleasure, and uncertainty folks 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 attempting to scale an present one.

7. Confer with a priority or downside your readers may need.

Everybody in each subject 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 downside your readers face is a strong approach 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. Individuals wish to remedy their issues, and articles that specify how to do that will allow you to earn readership.

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

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

8. Watch out telling tales.

Many individuals will let you know that you want to 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 unhealthy methods to make use of storytelling in your introductions. The secret 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 rapidly and set the stage for what’s to come back. A protracted-winded story can lose readers alongside the way in which, diminishing the affect of your article.

For those who select to start your article with a narrative, think about 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.

For those who’re an entrepreneur your self, you would possibly begin with a brief anecdote a couple of time you confronted a big setback in your entrepreneurial journey.

Describe the wrestle 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 for 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 typically give readers an attention grabbing stat or truth about what is going on on.

As a blogger or any kind of author, a very attention-grabbing stat or truth will draw your reader in and present them why your subject is admittedly necessary.

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

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

If readers see that this can be a frequent situation that others face, they could hold studying to find out how they will keep away from it.

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 turn into priceless 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 pace up my writing course of by offering a place to begin, crafting compelling introductions, and suggesting different phrasings.

Nonetheless, whereas generative AI might be extremely useful, I don’t assume you must solely depend on what it generates. AI instruments can produce coherent and well-structured content material, however the output typically 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 staff at IBM detailed just a few examples of AI hallucinations, together with the time Meta pulled its Galactica LLM (giant language mannequin) demo in 2022 after it supplied customers with inaccurate data that was typically rooted in bias and prejudice.

Because of this you must at all times fact-check something AI generates for you.

That stated, you should 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 interesting and reliable piece. For those who wrestle 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 strategy 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, model, and content material you’re aiming for.
3. As soon as the AI device generates the textual content, learn it fastidiously. Search for any inaccuracies or areas that may want clarification, restructuring, or further 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 information, experiences, and voice. Ensure the introduction aligns with the remainder of your article and offers an interesting begin.
5. Confirm any knowledge, quotes, or information included within the AI-generated textual content and personalize the content material the place needed to make sure it resonates together with your viewers and displays your distinctive perspective.

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

1. Stating a Enjoyable Truth

Immediate: Write an interesting 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 optimistic 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 well known determine.

Doable output: “The best chief isn’t essentially the one who does the best issues. He’s the one which will get the folks to do the best issues.” This quote by Ronald Reagan completely captures the essence of management. On this article, we’ll focus on how nice leaders encourage their groups to attain 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 wrestle 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 leisure. That is the brand new actuality of distant work, the place the challenges are as advanced as they’re distinctive.

Notice: For those who discover it tough or time-consuming to write down a complete weblog put up from begin to end, take a look at HubSpot’s free blog post templates that allow you to save time with out compromising on high quality.