o much reading matter that the casual reader, if
disappointed in the introduction to one article or short story, has
plenty of others to choose from. But if the opening sentences hold his
attention, he reads on. "Well begun is half done" is a saying that
applies with peculiar fitness to special feature articles.

STRUCTURE OF THE BEGINNING. To accomplish its purpose an introduction
must be both a unit in itself and an integral part of the article. The
beginning, whether a single paragraph in form, or a single paragraph in
essence, although actually broken up into two or more short paragraphs,
should produce on the mind of the reader a unified impression. The
conversation, the incident, the example, or the summary of which it
consists, should be complete in itself. Unless, on the other hand, the
introduction is an organic part of the article, it fails of its purpose.
The beginning must present some vital phase of the subject; it should
not be merely something attractive attached to the article to catch the
reader's notice. In his effort to make the beginning attractive, an
inexperienced writer is inclined to linger over it until it becomes
disproportionately long. Its length, however, should be proportionate to
the importance of that phase of the subject which it presents. As a
vital part of the article, the introduction must be so skillfully
connected with what follows that a reader is not conscious of the
transition. Close coherence between the beginning and the body of the
article is essential.

The four faults, therefore, to be guarded against in writing the
beginning are: (1) the inclusion of diverse details not carefully
coordinated to produce a single unified impression; (2) the development
of the introduction to a disproportionate length; (3) failure to make
the beginning a vital part of the article itself; (4) lack of close
connection or of skillful transition between the introduction and the
body of the article.

TYPES OF BEGINNINGS. Because of the importance of the introduction, the
writer should familiarize himself with the different kinds of
beginnings, and should study them from the point of view of their
suitability for various types of articles. The seven distinct types of
beginnings are: (1) summary; (2) narrative; (3) description; (4)
striking statement; (5) quotation; (6) question; (7) direct address.
Combinations of two or more of these methods are not infrequent.

Summary Beginnings. The general