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Headline & Caption Writing: When and when not to break the rules! Elizabeth Pearson, Andrew Scott

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Page 1: Headline Caption Writing

Headline & Caption Writing:When and when not to break the rules!

Elizabeth Pearson, Andrew Scott

Page 2: Headline Caption Writing

Types of Headlines

Page 3: Headline Caption Writing

Direct Headlines

Pure silk blouses – 30 percent off

Page 4: Headline Caption Writing

Indirect Headline

Fresh bait works best

Page 5: Headline Caption Writing

News Headline

My exclusive interview with Steve Jobs

Page 6: Headline Caption Writing

How to Headline

How to build a house of cards

Page 7: Headline Caption Writing

Question Headline

Do you close the bathroom door even when you’re the only one home?

Page 8: Headline Caption Writing

Command Headline

Subscribe to the DM today!

Page 9: Headline Caption Writing

Reason Why Headline

Two hundred reasons why open source software beats Microsoft

Page 10: Headline Caption Writing

Testimonial Headline

‘I read Copyblogger first thing each morning,’ admits Angelina Jolie

Page 11: Headline Caption Writing

Rules for Headlines

Page 12: Headline Caption Writing

Use the active voice

Effective headlines usually involve logical sentence structure, active voice and strong present-tense, active verbs.

Page 13: Headline Caption Writing

A “capital” idea: Moving on

Do not capitalize every word. Do capitalize the first word after a colon.

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Number, please

Example: 

3 die in crash

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To the left, to the left

NO exceptions unless told otherwise!!

Page 16: Headline Caption Writing

It’s XXX-rated?

Examples:  Lincoln, Douglas to debate UNACCEPTABLEat new KU Dole Centerxxx

Lincoln, Douglas to debate BETTERat KU’s new Dole Centerxx

Lincoln-Douglas RULE EXCEPTIONdebate todayxxxat Dole Center

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Punctuation normal — mostly

Examples: 

Single QuotesLincoln: ‘The war has begun’

Paraphrase Lincoln: War inevitable; victory essential

Lincoln says war inevitable; Davis agrees

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“And” punctuation replacement

Examples: 

(awkward)Lincoln offers compromise, Davis Declines

(better)Lincoln offers compromise; Davis declines

(best)Lincoln offers an ‘out,’ but Davis declines

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Even more on punctuation

Examples:  Clinton says there was no affair UNACCEPTABLEwitness should ‘to tell the truth’

Clinton says no affair, that BETTERwitness should ‘tell the truth’

Clinton: No affair; Starr: His probe RULE EXCEPTIONproves it happened more than once

Page 20: Headline Caption Writing

Speaking of ambiguity, double entendres

Example:  Textron Inc. makes offerto Screw Co. stockholders

Page 21: Headline Caption Writing

Who (and what) is whom (or what)?

Examples:  Jones to fill Who is Jones?vacancy oncity council

Lincoln-Douglas Gooddebate todayon K.C. radio

Page 22: Headline Caption Writing

Other Rules

AbbreviationsNot acceptable in stories, yet great in headlines KS, MS

Polly want a cracker?Don’t rip-off the writer’s headline!

More to avoideditorializing, exaggeration, generalizing or long words

No ‘a’ or ‘and’ or ‘the’?Avoid unless needed for clarity

Page 23: Headline Caption Writing

Don’t be cute, unless called for

Example: 

Skywalkers in Korea cross Han Solo

     Kwon Won-tae of South Korea participates in the first World High Wire Championships in Seoul, in which participants cross the Han River on a 1 km (0.62 miles) wire, May 3, 2007. The event is part of the annual "Hi Seoul Festival" organised by Seoul City which began April 27 and lasts ten days.

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Finally, the ‘doo-dah’ rule

Example: 

City’s singers “doo-dah”in good tune “doo-dah”

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Practice Time!

Take two stories given and create your own headline!

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Caption Writing

Page 27: Headline Caption Writing

Hot tips for Caption Writing

Check the facts. Be accurate! Avoid stating the obvious. "Dennis Rodman smiles as he kicks

a broadcast photographer in the groin." Always identify the main people in the photograph. Don't let cutlines recapitulate information in the head or deck or

summary. Avoid making judgments. "An unhappy citizen watches the

protest..." Can you be sure that he is unhappy? Or is he hurting. Or just not photogenic. If you must be judgmental, be

sure you seek the truth.

Page 28: Headline Caption Writing

Hot tips for Caption Writing

A photograph captures a moment in time. Whenever possible, use present tense. This will creates a sense of immediacy and impact.

Don't try to be humorous when the picture is not. Descriptions are very helpful for viewer. The person dressed "in

black," "holding the water hose," "sulky from chagrin," or "standing to the left of the sofa, center" are helpful identifying factors.

Be willing to allow for longer captions when more information will help the reader/viewer understand the story and situation.

Use commas to set off directions from the captions to the picture. "Kachira Irby, above,..."or "Kennetra Irby, upper left..."

Page 29: Headline Caption Writing

Hot tips for Caption Writing

Don't assume. Ask questions in your effort to inform and be specific. Be willing to contact and include the visual reporter.

Avoid using terms like "is shown, is pictured, and looks on." If the photograph is a historic or file photo, include the date that

it was taken. Mayor David Dinkins, 1993. Conversational language works best. Don't use clichés. Write

the caption as if you're telling a family member a story. Quotes can be an effective device, be willing to use them when

they work.

Page 30: Headline Caption Writing

References:Poynter Institute Onlinehttp://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=4355

Copy Bloggerhttp://www.copyblogger.com/how-to-write-headlines-that-work/

Writing Effective Headlineshttp://web.ku.edu/~edit/heads.html