As the old saying goes: You never get another chance to make another first impression. This is even more true for introducing your essay or article than it is for introducing yourself. If your introduction does not capture the attention and interest of your reader then you have likely lost that reader. In ages past, people have a limited selection of reading material and they would read past the introduction to determine whether or not a particular essay or article appealed to their interest or taste. However in today's fast-paced, media savvy culture a writer has only a few scant sentences to capture the attention of the reader and draw him into her work.

That is the primary reason why introductions are so important, but they are also important because once you have captured the interest of the reader you need to set the reader up with the necessary information and proper tone, in essence you need to establish a mood, for the remainder of the essay.

So it is important to remember these three keys:

~ Intriguing

~ Introductory

~ In keeping (with the tone)

Of course, creating an intriguing introduction isn't easy. It takes practice, trial and error, and reflection. Don't get hung up on the introduction before you begin writing though. Many of the most effective introductions are not written until near the end of the writing process.

The first rule for creating an intriguing introduction is to avoid the announcement. Don't tell the reader what you are going to write about, but instead show the reader. This means using literary devices such as the anecdote or story; problem or question; description; or eye-catching statistic or quote. The best, and most effective, introductions lead the reader right into the essay or article and make it easy to work in your thesis, or main point, either explicitly or implicitly.

An introduction should be more than simply intriguing. It should also be utilitarian. Make sure when you get to the meat of your essay or article that the reader is not shocked to discover the topic and purpose of your essay. If you wish to strategically withhold certain information that is certainly your prerogative as the writer, but while surprise may be good shock definitely is not. So your introduction should announce the topic, prepare the reader for the main points the essay will cover, and reveal your purpose.

When brainstorming and working on your introduction it is also important to match the tone of your introduction with the type of essay or article you are writing as well as the tone of the body of the piece. If your main essay is meant to be very factual and informative then probably light humor is not appropriate. Similarly if you plan to write a humorous, satirical essay then you probably want to avoid a more scholarly introduction that quotes from a Greek philosopher.

Good introductions are rarely discovered by accident, but rather painstakingly planned. Remember, good introductions are intriguing, introductory, and in keeping. However the more you practice your introductions and if you keep these three points in mind then you will be able to create a strong first impression with your writing.