Don’t Stop There!!!Don’t Stop There!!!Some ideasSome ideas for writingfor writing
better headsbetter heads
Tips from John SchlanderSt. Pete Times
Word association• Think of key words and do some free
association to develop angles.– So close, so Favre (when Brett Favre and the
Packers stole a game from the Bucs).
Mental picture• What picture comes to mind as you read the
story? Use that in your headline. – Wearing jackets of ice, crops weather freeze– Bashful moon to blush as earth passes by
Perfect verb• A fresh verb can really make a headline.
– Summer muscles its way into spring– Deputies inch toward unionization
Perspective• Come at the head from a different viewpoint. For
example, instead of writing the head from the government's perspective– Officials consider later high school
starting times• write it from the affected person's perspective
– High schoolers, don't reset alarm yet
Emotion• Hit 'em in the gut or the heart.
– In the hot glare of fame, secret is revealed (Classy but still emotional head on story about Dr. J acknowledging Wimbledon sensation Alexandra Stevenson is his daughter.)
– Heal ever, forget never (on a post-Columbine story)
Quote• Is there a great quote that sums up the story?
Don't overuse this technique, but it can be effective:
– ‘He never had a chance’
Foreshadowing• Give readers a compelling detail that
foreshadows the action and makes them wonder, but doesn't frustrate them with vagueness.
• The "hot glare of fame'' head fits in this category, too. Instead of banging people over the head tabloid-style with Dr. J admits tennis star is his love child, we took another, better route.
Specifics• Sometimes, just making a headline more specific really
helps. If you have a rather vague head, sub in specifics. This method works on many everyday heads. Change
• Slain woman mourned at service
• To: 1,500 attend funeral for slain woman
• How many people have that great a number of mourners show up for their funeral?
A touch of the poet
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound:
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant:
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant: alliteration
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant: alliteration• Reference to previous work:
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant: alliteration• Reference to previous work: allusion
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant: alliteration• Reference to previous work: allusion• Comparison to unlike object:
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant: alliteration• Reference to previous work: allusion• Comparison to unlike object: metaphor• A double meaning:
A touch of the poet• Use tropes (turns)• A trope is a return (repeat)• Repeated end sound: rhyme• Repeated start consonant: alliteration• Reference to previous work: allusion• Comparison to unlike object: metaphor• A double meaning: pun
A touch of the poet• Rhyming heads signal humor (or at
least a light topic)• Library might allow patrons to snack
within the stacks• Ham on the lam // Illegal Inky the pig
bolts from stinky house, but now the sprinting swine is fine
AlliterationIt took a lot of laborto find love on this day (on a column about a birth on Sept. 11)
Fancy felines compete for the 'kitty'
Allusion• They’re off to seek the lizard!• Sex Drug Rocks 'n' Rolls, on Pfizer's
success with Viagra• You’ve got wail: Hospital webcasts
newborns
Metaphor• Comcast lets/ cable pirates/ off the
hook• Bureaucrats / creep into garden / of
well-seeded / retirement plans• Thousands / sink in sea / of bad debt //
Overloaded credit cards, bankruptcies, home loans soar
Puns• California smokers are rebels without a
pause• Record highs mean there's no business
in snow business• To dye for: Bodies become canvases in
San Pedro tattoo and piercing store
Puns• A word of warning: Puns are addictive• Once you get started, it’s hard to stop• But what’s funny to you may not be
funny to others• Use sparingly!!!
I’ve got rhythm• The best trope of all
I’ve got rhythm• The best trope of all• Spoken English typically comes out in
iambs
I’ve got rhythm• The best trope of all• Spoken English typically comes out in
iambs (Unstress/stress)• Shall I / com PARE/ thee TO / a SUM /
mer’s DAY?• Thou ART / more LOVE / ly AND /
more TEM / per ATE
iamb’s opposite
iamb’s opposite• A trochee
iamb’s opposite• A trochee• AKA the doo-dah
Jim Barger (Pitts. P-G)• Everybody has at least hummed or
whistled "Camptown Races," and it was out of the comfortable cadence of that old song that the doo-dah principle was born:
Jim Barger (Pitts. P-G)• The best headlines are the ones
after which you can say "doo dah." They just sound right. Readers like the way they feel. And they're everywhere.
Jim Barger (Pitts. P-G)• Mary had a little lamb (doo dah,
doo dah) … ”• London Bridge is falling down (doo
dah, doo dah)• Nixon makes his final plea• Steelers win fifth Super Bowl
Improving heads• Use the techniques here• Pay attention to language• P(l)ay attention to language• Word choice, visual imagery, emotion,
perspective, details, allusion, alliteration, metaphor, rhythm
• Mix & match
Practice• Write a ‘better’ head, using one or more
of these techniques (alliteration?)• First individually• Then in groups• Display & critique
