Writing and designing titles
Presented by Laura Schaub
Laura.Schaub@Shutterfly.com
Headlines • Clever, clear and creative • Usually placed above copy; sometimes placed to the story’s side or under the story • Lead reader into the story • Consist of primary and secondary components • Designed creatively • Make a verbal-visual connection with dominant photo and story angle
Primary headline • Attracts reader’s attention in a few words • Written in large type • Designed in conjunction with secondary headline(s) • Makes verbal-visual connection with the dominant
Heroes Heroes in in Hand-me-downs Hand-me-downs
their uniforms have
worn
team members take pride in knowing they are… Primary headline
Although
been
in previous years,
Secondary headline • Leads reader into or out of the primary headline and into the story; can also do both • Provides greater detail about the story • Brings specifics to the headline • Intrigues reader, causing him to spend time with the story • Becomes part of the headline design • Completes the thought
Heroes Heroes in in Hand-me-downs Hand-me-downs Although their uniforms have been worn in previous years, team members take pride in knowing they are… Secondary headline
Types of headlines: Onomatopoeia
Ka-boom! Ka-boom!
Lightning strikes a little too close when it hits a pole outside the school
Types
Long Long of it of it Short Short From Dachshunds to terriers, Judy Johnson rescues pets after tornado destroys homes
of headlines: Antonyms
of headlines:
words Book Book New facility welcomes students, encourages reading while students are on vacation. Nook Nook From Plain Jane to Fancy Nancy, elementary book lovers devour content over summer break
Types
Rhyming
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Howard W. Blake HS
Types of Headlines: Play on words
W.
HS
Howard
Blake
Types of Headlines: Play on words (Ghouls just wanna have fun)
Vista Del Lago HS
Types of Headlines: Play on words (Ghouls just wanna have fun)
Vista
Lago HS
Del
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Vista Del Lago HS
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Vista Del Lago HS
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Valley HS
Virgin
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Virgin Valley HS
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Elmwood Middle School
Types of Headlines: Play on words
Elmwood Middle School
Headline: Play on words for bowling team story
Lincoln High School
Headline: Play on words for bowling team story
Lincoln High School
Headline: Play on words using tennis terms
Ozark High School
Headline: Play on words using tennis terms
Ozark High School
Headline: Play on words and familiar phrase South
Merrimack Christian Academy
Headline: Play on words and familiar phrase
South Merrimack Christian Academy
Headline: Familiar phrase and play on words
Taylor County High School
Headline: Familiar phrase and play on words
Taylor County High School
Headline: Familiar phrase
Taylor County High School
Headline: Familiar phrase
Taylor County High School
Headline: Rhyming headline
Taylor County High School
Headline: Rhyming headline
Taylor County High School
Headline: Rhyming headline
Taylor County HS
Headline: Rhyming headline
Taylor County HS
Headline: Rhyming headline
Union Grove HS
Headline: Rhyming headline
Union Grove HS
Headlines: Familiar phrase; clever design
Virgin Valley High School
Headlines: Familiar phrase; clever design
Virgin Valley High School
Headlines: Echoes theme, Shades of Blue; good play on words
Westlake High School
Headlines: Echoes theme, Shades of Blue; good play on words
Westlake High School
Headlines: Echoes theme, Shades of Blue; good play on words
Westlake High School
Headlines: Echoes theme, Shades of Blue; good play on words
Westlake High School
Headlines: Echoes theme, Shades of Blue; good play on words
Westlake High School
Headlines: Echoes theme, Shades
Headlines: Clever wording; connects with dominant photo
Union Grove High School
Headlines: Clever wording; connects with dominant photo
Union Grove High School
Headlines: Clever wording; connects with dominant photo
Yulee Middle School
Headlines: Clever wording; connects with dominant photo
Yulee Middle School
Headline: Connects with dominant; echoes theme of section
Canyonville Christian School
Headline: Connects with dominant; echoes theme of section
Canyonville Christian School
Headline: Connects with dominant; echoes theme of section
Canyonville Christian School
Headline: Connects with dominant; echoes theme of section
Canyonville Christian School
Headline: Alliteration
HS
Union Grove
Headline: Alliteration
Grove HS
Union
Headline: Alliteration
Union Grove HS
Headline: Alliteration
Grove HS
Union
Headline: Alliteration
HS
Union Grove
Headline: Alliteration
Grove HS
Union
Polish and refine headlines • Avoid editorializing (including your opinion) • Use vivid, action verbs and strong nouns • Delete unnecessary words • Use single quotes; substitute a comma for ‘and’ • Write headlines in present tense • Avoid mascot, school initials and school name • Avoid all-caps – too difficult to read • Strive for contrast in design (large vs. small, light vs. heavy, outline vs. solid)
What’s wrong with this headline?
Moving We believe next year’s team will be better because they care Forward Editorializing
What’s wrong with this headline? Students Studying
Need stronger noun and need to eliminate “be” verb are
Tigers Field Delete mascot and school name take the Broken Arrow High School by storm
What’s wrong with this headline?
What’s wrong with this headline? Lakers Court
left everything, including their equipment on the when their last game ended the season
Delete
mascot and convert to present tense
What’s wrong with this headline? MAGIC MOMENTS Change to sentence style and drop all-caps YEARBOOK STAFF CAPTURES THOSE TO SHOWCASE IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE YEARBOOK
What’s wrong with this headline? Field Day
is a label. Need to add verb, secondary headline and “design it.”
This
Step One: Brainstorm
Look at each photo and list words that reflect the image
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
photo
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo Confidential and Proprietary Information. Property of Lifetouch. Possibilities: Practice Play Sing it Perform it Fun Working together Performers Players Musicians Microphone Hit it Garage band Notes
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Possibilities: Model Science Future Interest Study Build Science Fair
dominant photo
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
words
dominant photo
Brainstorm for
that connect the primary headline and this
Possibilities: Gymnast Balance Beam Artistic Lines Performance Graceful
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant
Topic
Secondary info
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Topic Secondary info
for words
the
this dominant photo
Brainstorm
that connect
primary headline and
Possibilities: Soccer Celebrate Cheers Magic moment Momentous occasion Thrills Screams Excitement
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Brainstorm
Possibilities: Goodbye Hugs End of the year Friends Sad Tearful
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Property of Lifetouch.
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Possibilities: Dog walker Leashes Tangled Entrepreneur Pups Confusion Chaos Outside
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
words
Possibilities: Exhausted Sleepy Study break Finals Books Tired
Brainstorm for
that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
for words that
the primary headline and this
Possibilities: Story time Interested Primary Reading Pictures Celebrity reader
Brainstorm
connect
dominant photo
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant
Possibilities: Chemistry Blue Chemical Test tube Watchful eyes Mixing Gloved hands
Brainstorm
photo
Brainstorm for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant photo
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Property of Lifetouch.
for words that connect the primary headline and this dominant
Possibilities: Robotics Science Technology Watchful eyes Put it together Careful Tedious Inventive
Brainstorm
photo
Step Two: Complete One-Click Exercise 1 for Headlines