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Don’t Stop There!!!

Don’t Stop There!!!. Some ideas for writing better heads. Tips from John Schlander St. 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.

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Don’t Stop There!!!

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  1. Don’t Stop There!!! Some ideas for writing better heads

  2. Tips from John SchlanderSt. Pete Times

  3. Word association • Think of key words anddo some free association to develop angles. • So close, so Favre (when Brett Favre and the Packers stolea game from the Bucs).

  4. 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

  5. Perfect verb • A fresh verb can really make a headline. • Summer muscles its way into spring • Deputies inch toward unionization

  6. 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

  7. Emotion • Hit 'em in the gut or the heart. • In thehot glare of fame, secret is revealed (Classy but still emotional head on story about Dr.J acknowledging Wimbledon sensation Alexandra Stevenson is his daughter.) • Healever, forget never (on a post-Columbine story)

  8. Quote • Is there a great quote that sums up the story? Don't overuse thistechnique, but it can be effective: • ‘He never had a chance’

  9. Foreshadowing • Give readers a compelling detail that foreshadows the actionand makes them wonder, but doesn't frustrate them with vagueness. • The "hot glareof fame'' head fits in this category, too. Instead of banging people over the headtabloid-style with Dr. J admits tennis star is his love child, we took another, betterroute.

  10. Specifics • Sometimes, just making a headline more specific really helps. If youhave a rather vague head, sub in specifics. This method works on many everydayheads. Change • Slain woman mourned at service • To: 1,500 attend funeral forslain woman • How many people have that great a number of mourners showup for their funeral?

  11. A touch of the poet

  12. A touch of the poet • Use tropes (turns)

  13. A touch of the poet • Use tropes (turns) • A trope is a return (repeat)

  14. A touch of the poet • Use tropes (turns) • A trope is a return (repeat) • Repeated end sound:

  15. A touch of the poet • Use tropes (turns) • A trope is a return (repeat) • Repeated end sound: rhyme

  16. A touch of the poet • Use tropes (turns) • A trope is a return (repeat) • Repeated end sound: rhyme • Repeated start consonant:

  17. A touch of the poet • Use tropes (turns) • A trope is a return (repeat) • Repeated end sound: rhyme • Repeated start consonant: alliteration

  18. 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:

  19. 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

  20. 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:

  21. 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:

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. Alliteration It took a lot of labor to find love on this day (on a column about a birth on Sept. 11) Fancy felines compete for the 'kitty'

  25. 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

  26. 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

  27. 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

  28. 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!!!

  29. I’ve got rhythm • The best trope of all

  30. I’ve got rhythm • The best trope of all • Spoken English typically comes out in iambs

  31. 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

  32. iamb’s opposite

  33. iamb’s opposite • A trochee

  34. iamb’s opposite • A trochee • AKA the doo-dah

  35. 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:

  36. 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.

  37. 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

  38. 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

  39. Practice • Write a ‘better’ head, using one or more of these techniques (alliteration?) • First individually • Then in groups • Display & critique

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