Blog 11: "The good, the bad and the ugly" headlines (Paula)

Headlines are what the reader sees at the very beginning. In this digital age your headline is what will make your article 'clickable'.

Some headlines are terrible and others are written very well. To narrow down all the rules and guidelines I've learned here are a few things to remember when writing a headline:

• Keep it short and sweet
• Write in an active voice
• Make an impact. 

A headline should not be too long. You don't want your reader to get sick of reading before even starting the actual article. What I have typically heard in my different media writing classes is to limit a headline to approximately 15 words. Now we see often that different blog sites and websites limit the number of characters in a blog and not the word count, therefore it is important to be aware of the length of the words used.

Writing in active voice, meaning the subject causes the action expressed by the verb, makes your writing come to life. It is present not in the past. When writing your headline begin with the subject, write in active voice, and your headline will give more information using fewer words.

Making an impact in your writing is important in order to have a solid audience. Your headline should speak to the reader. Maybe not necessarily give them a nightmare like the image says, but it should be thought provoking. The impact made should cause the reader to move on to the rest of the article.