The starting line was packed. Nervous jitters and excitement traveled through my body. Hearts were racing. The only sound I could hear was my own heartbeat. And then, we were off.
Before I knew it, I was running with professional, sponsored athletes as we bounded down the streets of Indianapolis. Crowds lined the course, their cheers electric. The energy was contagious. With all the excitement, one thought kept popping in my mind: Stick to the race plan.
The first half of the race flew by in what felt like seconds. I tucked myself into a group of three runners, and together, we shared the work. Taking turns at the front, we discussed goals between labored breaths, forming a bond as we moved through the field.
As we weaved through crowded streets, mile markers ticked by. When we hit mile 10, the wear and tear of the race began to set in. Grabbing water while running, I kept pushing.
The final stretch was a blur. Soreness crept through my legs, but the sound of the cheering crowd carried me forward. With one last push, I crossed the finish line. A volunteer placed a medal around my neck, and I stood there knowing I had given it everything I had.
I completed the half marathon.
This week, I dove into another challenge: mastering the art of writing leads. Much like the starting line of a race, the lead sets the tone for the journey ahead. It’s a part of writing I occasionally struggle with. Sometimes, a lead comes to me naturally and I know exactly how I want to start a writing piece. Other times, it feels like I’m at mile 10, pushing through to find the right words.
When I’m stuck, I often jot down ideas for the rest of the project or write a rough draft before circling back to the beginning. In On Writing Well, William Zinsser offers valuable advice on crafting leads: there are no strict rules, but the goal is to always engage the reader with the first sentence of your piece.
For my race story, I leaned into storytelling – one of Zinsser’s recommended techniques. Storytelling is my favorite approach. It’s why I chose to study Communications and Graphic Design. To me, writing is like designing: my goal is to paint a vivid picture, letting readers feel like they’re experiencing every step with me.
Of course, not every lead lands perfectly. Some ideas come together with ease, while others require more effort. My advice? Focus on capturing your audience’s attention, and don’t be afraid to revisit and refine.
So, what do you think? Did my storytelling hook make you want to read the whole story?
Christian Schaaf's Blog + Portfolio 