Writing

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Writing Headlines
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Whats A Headlines Job?

• Summarize story contents
• Prioritize stories on a page
• Entice readers into the text
• Anchor stories to organize the page

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Headline Rules

• Do not use labels except in hammers, kickers,
  standing heads
• Use dynamic verbs (avoid is, am, are, was, were,
  be, being, been unless as helping verb)
• Use present tenseeven for past events

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Headline Rules

• Use infinitive form to talk about future events
  (to speak)
• Use numerals
• Avoid double meanings
• Use names/abbreviations only if well known to
  readers

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Headline Rules

• Do not use articles (a, an, the)
• Do not editorialize (avoid beginning with a verb)
• Watch cute headlines (rhymes, alliteration
  etc.)
• Do not repeat words in primary/secondary headlines

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Headline Punctuation

• substitute comma for andTeachers, students enjoy
  vacation
• use a semi-colon to join two related thoughts in
  headlineStudents get break teachers must work

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Headline Punctuation

• do not hyphenate words between lines
• use single quotes only
• colons can be used for saidCoach Best year
  ever for team

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Special Rules For Multiple Lines Do Not Separate

• preposition its objectto District Meet for
  award show
• parts of the same verbwill run to be held

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Special Rules For Multiple Lines Do Not Separate

• names that belong together (proper nouns)Student
  Council Image staff
• Adjective noun it modifies large turnout
  final deadline

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Whats Wrong Here?
Sisters reunite after 18 years in checkout line
at supermarket Students to register for
2005-2006 classes Seniors won Spirit Fest
competition Results of annual MAP test
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Writing Process Step 1 determine design space
Step 2 read entire story Step 3 write short
sentence summary Step 4 cut unimportant
details, words Step 5 adjust design to fit
layout
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Lets Write
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A
shotgun-wielding hunter mercilessly pursues his
target. Angry space aliens vaporize a defenseless
town. A bloodthirsty shark preys on the weak and
tiny. These movie scenes aren't from the latest
action thrillers -- they're from G-rated animated
films like Disney's new "Chicken Little." As pop
culture mimics today's permissive social values,
violence and veiled sexual references have crept
into the seemingly innocent cartoon landscape,
giving parents new reason to do research beyond
the ratings. It's not that the Motion Picture
Association of America's ratings board has become
more permissive, said MPAA president Dan
Blackman "It's bound to be a reflection of
society." It's also a reflection of movie studios
following the formula of hits like the "Toy
Story" and "Shriek" films, whose sophisticated
scripts include plenty of subtle jokes aimed at
adults.
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Lets Write
NBC Universal is booking a new crime-themed cable
channel with Time Warner, the company said.
Sleuth is launching Jan. 1 in 5 million homes
with a full docket of series and movies from the
Universal library acquired in the company's 2004
merger, including Miami Vice, The A-Team and
Scarface. Rumors had been swirling since the
merger that NBC Uni was developing a channel in
the crime or horror genres. We have one of the
best crime and mystery movie and TV libraries,
NBC Uni Cable president David Zaslav said. We
have great content at a low cost to us.
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CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox triumphantly
rode into the heart of the city Friday to
celebrate the team's first World Series title
since 1917 with hundreds of thousands of fans who
turned downtown into a giant block
party. "Chicago, Second City no more," first
baseman Paul Konerko told the crowd after
players, coaches and others rode from U.S.
Cellular Field on double-Decker buses to the
Loop, cheered all the way by fans lining the
route. Konerko brought Jerry Reinsdorf to tears
when he presented the team owner with the ball he
caught for the last out of the Series, completing
a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros. "Getting
this ball from Paul Konerko is the most emotional
moment of my life," Reinsdorf told the
crowd. General manager Kenny Williams made a
special point of introducing Frank Thomas, for
years the team's best player but who missed much
of the season and all the playoffs with an
injury. "Chicago should really appreciate this
and understand what this is all about," said
Thomas, who was handed the World Series trophy by
Williams. "This is the pinnacle."