One of my clients used to challenge those of us (employees and freelancers) who wrote for the employee newsletter to come up with ever more interesting and clever headlines.
During a weekly conference call discussing the newsletter, the editor often mentioned headlines she found particularly striking. Of course I was always pleased when one of mine was mentioned, such as:
- Do you want files with that? (about employee participation in Take Our Kids to Work Day)
- Team finds spill response an absorbing job (about an oil spill response team)
- Wellness award is icing on the (carrot) cake (about a wellness program that helped employees get fit and won an award).
Now we are all working extra hard to come up with “mention worthy” headlines, which we hope in the long run will lead to better readership. Some of the ways I try to create a good headline:
- Always think of the reader and “what’s in it for me”
- Look for something interesting or unusual about the topic
- Think of common words, phrases, sayings, even cliches related to the topic and see if they inspire
- Try to capture the most important point about the story
- Use the active voice.
Doing an online search pulls up all kinds of inspiration:
- Copyblogger suggests following a formula, such as “The secret of [blank]” or [Do something] like a [world-class example].”
- About.com suggests promising answers to a question or including a key benefit in the headline.
- Ann Wylie’s Writing Tips newsletter (subscribe here) says, “What would your spouse, a classified ad or a joker in a bar say about your topic? Make that comment your headline.”
- The American Copy Editors Society often runs “good headline” contests. Some great examples: “Inmate flees in boxers, but freedom is brief;” “Party like it’s $19.99” (about decorating on a tight budget); “Doody calls” (about a poop-scooping service).
And don’t forget to check your local newspaper. The Toronto Star has had these gems:
- No time but the present (about a fellow who has near total amnesia);
- A farewell to farms (about the sad demise of farmland in Ontario).
If you run across a great headline, please share! I’m keeping a file where I can browse when in need of inspiration.
Wendy Dennis was the instructor for the my Ryerson writing course in the magazine journalism program many moons ago. I remember her warning that freelance/staff writers shouldn’t get too wedded to their proposed article title, because chances are the magazine/newspaper’s editor would change it.
She said that most media outlets have pinpointed someone on staff who is particularly good at coining eye-catching and memorable heds…and that often the person *isn’t* a writer or editor.
For your files: Even though the class was years ago, I remember one article about “health spas” in Mexico(detailing how wealthy North Americans were heading south in droves) used for illustration purposes. It ended up being called “Mexican Fat Dance.” I seem to recall that Toronto Life’s primary headline creator was a printer or worked in sales or accounting or something.
Anyhow, perhaps writers should cultivate a third-party who is good at coming up with clever heds. Not that you need assistance; I particularly enjoyed your “Do you want files with that?”
Thanks for the addition for my file and the kind words, Judy! And good point about the editor being likely to change a headline. Writers also have to remember not to get too wedded to our lovely words, as editors don’t always share our attachment.