“More than 300 women were shot, stabbed, strangled, beaten, bludgeoned, or burned to death over the past decade by men in South Carolina, dying at a rate of one every 12 days while the state does little to stem the carnage from domestic abuse.”

Journalism guru Roy Peter Clark considers that to be the best lead, or intro, from among this year's Pulitzer Prize winners. Here he explains why: "The winner for the best Pulitzer Prize lead is…"

In the same post you can also read Clark's analysis of the next best leads.

For copy editors and reporters everywhere, Clark is a godsend. Check this out, too:

• "Three Little Words": A multi-part true story that keeps you wanting to read on. This is what journalism is really about"

• "How journalism guru Roy Peter Clark helped to turn a classified ad into a heartwarming newspaper story"

• "If you had to think up a six-word motto for journalism, what would it be?"

AND WHILE ON THE SUBJECT of the Pulitzer Prize, you should read this:"‘Investigative reporting is obviously alive and well’ and other observations from first-time Pulitzer jurors".