Rules for Headline Writing • Obey the split rules (print rule) – Put modifiers and words modified on the same line – Don’t split the verb parts – Don’t split prepositions from their objects – (tip: you can violate the rules between the second and third lines of a head) – Don’t end in prepositions Watch for awkward breaks and keep a dirty mind • Don’t repeat words – Even in deck – Related rule is don’t repeat words, especially colorful verbs, on same page headlines – Headline shouldn’t repeat lead sentences verbatim or even echo its wording • Use attribution and qualification appropriately – Attribution can be implied: “President called liar” – In a tight headline, “may” comes in handy – Can use colon to subsitute for said, etc. “President: We won’t give up! – Quotation marks not implied attribution • New information should be highlighted • Verb tense – most headlines written in present tense, lends air of urgency. Also future tense, infinitive form. • Capitalization: – Downstyle is most common, only first word is up – Modified Upstyle: Main words capitalized, still popular at some papers – Upstyle: All words up – Watch abbreviations, no periods in acronyms – Use AP style for state abbreviations, – Use figures in headlines sted of words • Punctuation problems: – No periods at end – Comma can be used to replace the word “and” – Semicolons rather than commas separate clauses – Single quotes replace double, take up less space – Dashes and colons can replace said: Dash at end, colon at start – Dashes also can be used for emphasis – Colons can sometimes replace verbs “Nascar racing: most dangerous sport” Print rule Remember the x factor (not the old Simon Cowell TV show)