JournalismFree
Pick pull quotes from your article
Paste your article and get pull quotes taken word for word from it, attributed, and checked so none misleads readers out of context.
River reads your article and picks the lines that work as pull quotes: the enlarged quotations designers place in the middle of a page to draw readers in. Each one is taken word for word from your article, attributed to the right person, and checked so it does not mean something different once it is lifted out of its paragraph.
Choosing pull quotes is an editing decision, not just a design one. A line that is striking in context can become unfair or misleading on its own, and a pull quote that repeats the headline wastes the space. River explains each choice and flags the risky ones.
It is for magazine and newspaper editors, designers laying out features, newsletter writers and bloggers who want long articles easier to scan.
How editors choose pull quotes
A good pull quote is short, vivid, and makes a reader want the full story. It is usually a direct quote from a source, though some publications also lift a striking sentence from the writer. Either way, it must be the exact words from the article. Tidying a quote for the pull quote, even slightly, creates a version the person never said.
Context is the main risk. A source's sarcastic aside, a hypothetical, or half of a qualified statement can read as something quite different when enlarged on its own. Editors also avoid pull quotes that give away the ending, repeat the headline, or appear right next to the same words in the text.
Placement follows the story's flow. A pull quote generally works best near the passage it comes from but not directly beside it, and long features often use two or three spread through the piece. In print the layout decides how long it can be; online, shorter lines usually read better on small screens.
How it works
Paste the article
Paste the full article or attach the file.
River reads for lines
It looks for short, vivid lines that hold their meaning on their own.
Get the shortlist
Each pull quote is exact, attributed and checked for context.
Ask for more
Ask for shorter lines, or for quotes from a particular source.
What you get
- Five to eight pull quotes taken word for word from your article
- Each attributed to the right speaker, with the paragraph it comes from
- A context check flagging any line that would mislead or be unfair once lifted
- Notes on placement and which lines suit short or long layouts
- A recommended top pick, with a one-line reason
Common questions
Can I shorten a quote for a pull quote?
You can choose a shorter stretch of the person's exact words, but you should not change, reorder or combine them. If cutting leaves a fragment that changes the meaning, choose a different line. River only selects continuous wording from your article and flags any cut that could distort it.
Should pull quotes only come from sources?
Most publications prefer quotes from people in the story, because they add a voice the reader has not heard yet in that spot. Some also lift a strong sentence from the writer's own text. River labels which kind each one is so you can follow your publication's style.
How many pull quotes should a story have?
It depends on length and layout. A short story may need none, and a long feature might use two or three spread through the piece. River gives you a shortlist so the designer or editor can choose what fits the space.
Why would a pull quote be misleading?
Because it loses the sentences around it. A sarcastic remark, a hypothetical, or the first half of a qualified statement can read as a plain claim when enlarged. River checks each line against its paragraph and flags any that would misrepresent the speaker.
Pick pull quotes from your article
Describe what you need, add any files you have, and your workspace opens with the work already underway.