I can write long hand articles all day long but ask me to encapsulate the mesmerizing tale into a one line attention grabbing headline and it seems to take me longer than writing the whole piece.
Here's five triumphant tips I've used to develop titles:
1. In fiction novels and movies the title usually always appears somewhere in the production. So, if you're like me, and you develop the title after or in the middle of writing the whole article or book, you may be able to pull one sentence out or a group of a few key words to bring it all together.
2. In an article or piece of non-fiction, decide what message you want your readers to take away. How will it benefit them? How will they feel? How will it improve their lives? Does it teach them something new? Does it offer help with their business? That meaning could become your title.
3. In fiction, focus on the main character's story, dilemma, or what he or she is trying to accomplish. In a thriller, your title may arise from the killer's motivation. I read food murder mysteries, like Dianne Mott Davidson and Joanne Fluke because cooking is a passion of mine and I'm working on a cookbook. There plots may center around someone keeling over in the lemon meringue pie or after eating chocolate chip cookies so the name may be as simple as Lemon Meringue Pie Murder or The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.
4. Read the newspaper (if you still get one in your town). Also, the free editorial publications are a great example for headline training. I first realized this was a challenge for me when I took journalism in high school and wrote for the school paper. I won an award for one of my articles but really had to work to get it all wrapped up in a nice little five word package.
5. And of course, read blogs and online article sources for illustrations of how to grab your readers attention. Google for blogs on your subject matter and see how they're coming up with names for their posts. The article banks are divided by subject matter. Study a few when you're brainstorming for your next tantalizing caption.
I think the old saying practice makes perfect or at least less painful, applies here. I have titles waiting for their body, notes that need a header and footer and enough ideas to last beyond my lifetime. So the best advice is keep brainstorming, writing, and reading, and just make sure your story delivers on what the banner promises!
Are headlines easy for you to develop? OR Do you find it a challenge like me? Are there other tips and tricks you can offer for condensing the large into the memorable small?
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