MODULE 11: HEADLINES

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With impact

words and

specific facts,

headlines

contribute to

REPORTING a story.

HEADLINES PROVIDE A MAJOR ENTRY POINT FOR READERS.

COMPONENTS COMBINE FOR STORYTELLING POWER.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY HEADLINE PATTERNS ADD INTEREST.

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The PRIMARY HEADLINE relies on a SECONDARY HEADLINE to provide specific information.

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KICKER: A short, single line secondary headline is placed above the primary headline.

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WICKET: A detailed secondary headline is placed above the primary headline.

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HAMMER: A detailed secondary headline is placed below the primary headline.

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TRIPOD: The secondary headline is placed beside the primary headline.

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WRITING effective

headlines

requires

creativity, effort

and attention

to details.

A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF CONTENT RESULTS IN BETTER HEADLINES.

WORD PLAY AND BRAINSTORMING ARE USEFUL STRATEGIES.

GUIDELINES LEAD TO QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY.

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BRAINSTORMING in teams of two or three makes generating a list of key words much easier.

STEP ONE: List 10-15 key words that describe and relate to the story.

• car• drive• keys• money

• gas• cool• style• wheels

• color• wrecks• dates• expensive

• friends• insurance• happy• auto

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STORYTELLING words have significance and relate to the topic of the spread.

STEP TWO: Brainstorm rhymes for words with storytelling potential.

• car: star, far• drive: alive, strive, five• keys: please• money: honey, bunny, funny• gas: pass, mass• cool: school, pool

• wheels: peals, steals, deals• wrecks: decks, pecks• dates: mates, plates• friends: bends, spends• happy: pappy, sappy• auto: lotto, motto

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More than a cute phrase, headlines employ creative LITERARY TECHNIQUES that relate to the content.

STEP THREE: Craft words and phrases that creatively capture the story.

• car: star, farstar wars = car warsonce upon a star = once upon a carcarpe diem = CARpe diem

• auto: lotto, mottoAUTOmotives

• wheels: peals, steals, dealsthe wheel deal

• keys: pleasepretty please = pretty keys

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Headlines with

strong

VISUAL appeal

communicate

more effectively.

GRAPHIC DETAILS MAKE PRIMARY HEADS POP AND CREATE HEADLINE PACKAGES.

CAPITALIZATION STYLES CREATE A VARIETY OF LOOKS.

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RHYME: The secondary headline provides specifics to support the catchy primary headline.

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PUN: A creative primary headline establishes the angle for the story. The secondary adds specifics.

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An ACRONYM is given a new meaning. Acronyms add specifics to the secondary headline.