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Headline Writing. http://pushingsocial.com/write-great-headlines-without-hype-gimmicks/. The Atlanta Georgian. Brattleboro Reformer. Key Vocabulary. Literary Devices: Alliteration : repetition of the same or similar consonant sound in words close together.
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Headline Writing http://pushingsocial.com/write-great-headlines-without-hype-gimmicks/ The Atlanta Georgian Brattleboro Reformer
Key Vocabulary • Literary Devices: • Alliteration: repetition of the same or similar consonant sound in words close together. • Idioms: common phrase, a figure of speech. • Homonyms: words that sound alike but have different meaning. • Onomatopoeia: the use of sound to echo word meaning. • Pun: play-on-words based on multiple meanings. • Rhyme: repetition of vowel sounds in accented syllables
Why are headlines important? • Headlines should sum up the story so that the reader can get the basic idea of the story without reading the copy. • They’re read more frequently than other text. • A good headline will make the reader want to read the entire story. theguardian.com
Best headlines do the following: • Clearly written in active voice. • Have subjects and verbs and clearly focus on a single action, thought, or idea. • Give an accurate, specific guide to the contents and importance of the story. • “Hook” the reader / give the reader a reason to read • ALWAYS check spelling, grammar, names and numbers.
What should be in a headline? • Make sure headline is in present tense and should follow subject-verb-object style. • Always avoid the obvious when writing headlines. • Cleverness is good to a point, but don’t overdo it. • Capture key parts of the story in a lively and interesting manner, but more importantly, should be accurate.
Guidelines for writing good headlines • Put the major news in the headline. • Place a verb in every headline • Avoid the “be” verb when writing headlines. No passive verbs, predicate nouns or adjectives. • Use present tense. • Use last name only if it is a well-know figure. Otherwise, use full names.
Guidelines for writing good headlines • Capitalize first words and all proper nouns. • Use specifics. • Use only well-known abbreviations. • Don’t use articles “a,” “an,” or “the.” • Avoid being redundant. • Avoid over-doing alliteration.
