Where the article starts
A draft needs a way in, and the first sentence written is not always the best first sentence to publish. Writers sometimes begin by explaining that a subject matters, that the world is changing or that a question is complicated. The useful detail arrives after this introduction has cleared its throat.
Read the second paragraph by itself. If it names the problem, describes a situation or begins the explanation, try putting it at the top. Keep the original opening nearby while you judge the change. It may contain a fact that still belongs in the piece.
Cutting an introduction should not leave the reader stranded. Check which terms, circumstances or distinctions the new opening assumes. Add only the context needed to follow the first useful point. A short, specific explanation can do more than a broad paragraph about importance.
There are articles that need a slower beginning. A scene or an extended question can be worth the space when it develops the subject. The test is whether the opening gives the reader something to work with, rather than telling them how significant the next paragraphs will be.
After moving the opening, read the whole piece again. Later sentences may still refer to a statement that has disappeared. A phrase such as this challenge can become vague when its original reference has been cut.
The edit is complete when the new beginning connects naturally to what follows. Do not preserve an old transition simply because it sounded smooth in the previous draft. Let the article begin where it has something precise to say, then give the reader enough context to continue.