It sounds more fresh to write "Mayor supports zoning proposal" than "Mayor supported zoning proposal at meeting." A standard head in active voice, then, could be something like "Twins win 2 in opener." "President supports tax cut bill." "Senator vows to fight sugar proposal." You can use passive voice, perhaps because it fits the space better, but it's not as lively: "Tax cut bill supported." Note that AP style doesn't apply to heads-numerals are okay, abbreviations, but avoid unfamiliar references. includes verbs in the present tense (or sometimes future tense).Įven if it happened in the past, we emphasize present tense, perhaps because in the media business we want to emphasize NOW, not old stuff that already happened.uses subject-verb-direct object format, or occasionally passive voice.You say, "Wow, I saw a car hit two pedestrians outside the mini-mall today!" Nevertheless, head-speak is different. You tell a friend: "Car hits two pedestrians today." No you don't. It's really odd that we're so accepting of this approach, as it's not at all conversational. Standard headlines are the kind of heads we're used to from a lifetime of exposure to print media. Headlines fall into two categories: standard and label. So if you have the choice between being lively and being accurate, well, accuracy has to come first. Ethical editors (who also don't want those whiny reporters on their case) take care with their headlines. So again, the writer gets the complaints, unfairly. When a headline is inaccurate, most people assume the reporter wrote it. When a story is inaccurate, the reporter gets blamed, and takes the complaints.
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What's more, headlines are too often inaccurate, or biased. They may suggest headlines, but more often space needs or other considerations force an editor to fashion something different. Most readers don't realize that those who write stories, the reporters, seldom write their own headlines. Headlines need to be accurate, first, and to fairly reflect the theme of the story. What seems unfair is that neither one can put his or her byline on the work. They must be accurate, entertaining, pithy and, if possible, clever-all in limited space. Headlines writers who are good at what they do have something in common, I think, with advertising copy writers.
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If you can get the reader through the lead, chances are fairly good he or she will read the rest of the story. deck, pull quote, or other descriptive block.photo or illustration, to catch the reader's attention.
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I often say mass media publications rely on four objects to entice readers into a story, in this order: It has the same function in mass media writing as a lead, to call attention to the story, to snare people in. The title above a story in a newspaper, magazine ornewsletter is called a headline, or "hed" ("head") in print journalism, or a "heading" in online pages. (Based on a lecture by Ross Collins, professor of communication, North Dakota State University)