Chapter 4: Yearbook Writing

1. Chapter 4:Yearbook Writing Interviewing, Captions, Headlines, and Body Copy

2. Interviewing essential for any good writer

3. Two Types of Questions • Closed-ended • Can be answered with a yes or no or one or two words • Do not invite discussion, opinions, or elaboration by interviewee • Often puts the interviewer’s opinion into the interviewee’s mouth • Open-ended • Answered with more than one word response • Requires elaboration by interviewee • Typically begin with “how?” or “why?” • Why do you want to use open-ended questions in your interviews?

4. Points to Remember with Questions • Concentrate on human interest aspects of the group • Ask questions that make interviewee think • The better the questions, the better the quotes • Put yourself in a reader’s shoes—what would a reader care about? What will readers forget as they age? • Use lots of HOW and WHY questions…describe for me…tell me more about… • Be prepared to ask follow up questions

5. Interview Essentials • Complete your beat sheet prior to the interview • This includes creating questions for the faculty advisor/coach • Schedule a time to meet with the faculty advisor first • After you’ve talked with the teacher, then design questions for the students involved in the club, sport, or class • Set up a time to meet with the student leaders • Then prepare your survey questions for all members • Remind students to complete your survey • DO NOT BE LATE TO OR MISS AN INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT! • Doing so will hurt your reputation, the reputation of the staff, make people not want to buy a yearbook, and negatively impact your grade • Dress appropriately • Say “thank you”

6. Interview Pointers • Do not ever just say, “Give me a quote.” • Do not just limit yourself to your pre-written questions • Ask interviewee permission to voice record the interview • Ask follow up questions, so that you can obtain specifics • Always do your research before going to the interview • Don’t go to the interview not knowing anything about the group or the interviewee • Don’t be afraid to ask for more explanation • Don’t be afraid to ask for time to write down what is said • Give the interviewee time to answer your question honestly • When possible conduct the interview face-to-face • Try to have a conversation, not a firing squad of questions

7. Writing Your Story from interview to body copy

8. Transition – Interview to Writing • Write your first draft as soon as you can after the interview • Make sure you have completed all of your interviews • Remember you’re writing to express not impress • It’s your job to find and relate the details to the reader • Most students spend about three minutes or less reading copy • Don’t forget the memories…not just the facts • Avoid clichés • Pick out your best quotes to use in the story

9. Organization • Lead (p. 57) • 25 words or less • Must pull reader in – make her want to read second sentence • 3-4 Catchy Words • Sensory descriptive sentence • Unusual, though-provoking question • Interesting quote • Body (p. 58) • Show depth and attention to detail • Use a transition – quote – transition format • Cover all sides of the group/story • Use familiar words not fancy ones • Conclusion (p. 59) • Don’t write about future • Resist praising the team, sport, or club • Not an “essay” conclusion

10. Style and Grammar • Use past tense • Active voice • Third person • No editorializing, jokes, or sarcasm • Don’t use “THIS YEAR” • Use lots of quotes • Be short, concise, and to the point • Use Subject-Verb-Object sentences • Use section colors so student names in stories stand out • Focus on VOICE from the 6-Traits • Use 12 point font • Use Mr. Greg Molzahn first and then Molzahn thereafter • Use senior Sarah Peters first and then Peters thereafter

11. Do not use apostrophes in boys and girls • Boys swimming and diving • Girls cross country • Use “said” for quote attribution • Use “stated” if you read the quote someplace first and it wasn’t directly spoken to you • Use other active verbs if and only if they are 100% appropriate • Don’t say, “when asked” or “in response to…” • It is acceptable to fix grammatical errors in quotes/statements • Use quotation marks • Periods and commas = inside “ ” • ! and ? can go inside or outside “ ” • Start body copy with drop cap (2 lines deep) • Full justification

12. Captions most read text in the yearbook

13. Photo Stories – the new caption • Tell the reader more than what is visible • Include quotes from people within the photo • Give additional background about people and action in picture • Helps to take notes while you’re taking pictures • Formula • First sentence = lead • Second sentence = background info about picture • Third sentence = quote directly connected to the people in picture

14. Caption DO’s • Answer the 5W’s and an H • Use present tense • Use active verbs and descriptive nouns • Use people’s first and last names • Identify everyone even if they are not students • Follow same title and class rules as body copy • Use 10 point font • Learn how to spell the four grade levels – freshman vs. men and sophomores

15. Caption DON’Ts • Don’t begin with names, grade in school, or prepositions • Don’t use “be” verbs • Don’t use gag captions, jokes, sarcasm, or inside jokes • Don’t mention the photographer or the camera or smiling • Don’t editorialize • Don’t talk to the picture or the people within it • Don’t repeat information that is elsewhere on the page • Don’t identify names of non-students • Don’t use “left to right” – we already read that way

16. Headlines they state more than the obvious

17. Headline 101 • They should draw readers into looking at and reading the page • Should be specific and positive • Do more than just label the page • Should do more than state the obvious • Don’t use A, An, The, And (use comma in place of “and”) • Should tie into one of the photographs (dominant one?) • Typically 2-5 words in length • Can be a play on words • Should have a main and secondary headline • Try to tie it back to the yearbook theme

18. Headline 102 • Use Present tense • Don’t use it to fill up white space • Select typefaces that complement each other • Use strong, active verbs (don’t use “be” verbs) • Avoid abbreviations

19. Practice happy homework

20. Write captions for these pictures…

28. Write Headlines for these pages… • Football team making it to the state championship game • Teacher of the year • Freshmen Mentor Program • Basketball player sets a state all-time points record • Tech Ed students build race car that won at state fair

29. Write a 20-Sentence story about… • New Teachers at CHS