Avoid the obvious

I'll buy a six-pack for any poster who covers a game tonight where the local team loses 62-0 and ledes "To celebrate Halloween, Bumfuck dressed up as a football team last night."

 

"Trick or treat, trick or treat, Gannett lays off more writers from the beat."

You all would want to lead off a story with that. You know you would.

 

That story would be a treat to read.

 

Forecast here calls for a dark and stormy night. Cold, too.

 

And that's my point. The person among the few that can master a creative lead tonight has likely got serious talent. I will never discourage someone to pursue that talent and creativity.

 

I love it.

 

No one among the readers knows or cares how the candy corn is made.

 

I don't think anyone at the game I covered last night even realized it was Halloween. But it was a Christian school, so maybe they think Halloween is the devil's holiday.

In short, no mention of any holiday in my story.

 

I remember at one of my old shops, a local Christian school dance team built its halftime show around "I Love the Apostle Paul," sung to the tune of "I Love Rock N' Roll."

 

I'dve paid cash money to see that.

 

Yes, this. Readers won't notice until they read four prep stories with some hackneyed Hallowen (or Christmas or Thanksgiving) lead. If it's one gamer by the college or major beat writer, no problem with it in most cases. As long as it's done fairly well.

 

Don't use Halloween ledes. And NOW get off my fucking lawn.

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