How to Write Strong Headlines

Headlines of a publication can account for up to 90% of the company’s advertising dollars (Quick Sprout). This is because headlines are reader’s initial impression of the story they are about to read. It will determine if the reader buys the story or chooses a competitor. A headline is simply not a title, the cherry on top of the content; it is the actual Sunday in which the story is built upon. Journalists must know how to write strong headlines in order to be successful.

The most basic question when writing a headline is, will this story make me want to read on? The headline should engage the reader so they purchase that publication. A headline should have a good trigger word to encourage future reading. Trigger words are words that are attention grabbers like; what, why, how, or when. These words can help a writer set up a theme for the story. Numbers are another form of attention grabbers. Numbers and statistics can make a story seem important and can cause opinion to start in readers. This trait will create a want to read future into the story for more information. Headlines do not repeat the lead in. They are something that highlights the story in a unique way. Finally, headlines must use interesting adjectives and must incorporate unique rational (goinswriter). When writing with adjectives and words with rational, it’s important that the writer grabs a specific focus. Using words like things and items make a piece of writing poor. Those words are not specific enough. Good adjectives are words like; painstakingly, incredible, and effortless.

Good content is key to strong headlines, but how do writers attention grab their audience? They use the four U’s. Unique, Ultra specific, sense of Urgency, and Useful. The first factor is Unique. If your headline does not stand out, it will not make it in the competitive market of journalism. The headline needs to be unique and stand out from the rest. The second factor is to have a headline be Ultra specific. By being specific, the reader will know if the story is right for them or not. The third factor is be have a sense of urgency. Being urgent will make the reader thing it’s the story is important to buy. The fourth factor is being Useful. A story needs to have a purpose. If the headline and article do not have a useful purpose then it is pointless to produce the story. In today’s current Internet usage, stories are produced frequently. If a story goes out, just to go out then the writer is not properly being a journalist. A headline being useful is helpful to wrap up the four U’s. A headline should be Unique, be Ultra specific, have sense of Urgency, and be Useful. The four U’s will attention grab customers effectively.

To write strong headlines, one must use different types for different stories. There are first direct and indirect headlines. CopyBlogger says direct headlines go, “straight to the heart of the matter, without any attempt at cleverness, whereas indirect headlines takes a more subtle approach. They use curiosity to raise a question in the reader’s mind, which the body-copy answers” (Copy Writing 101). There are also news and question headlines. News headlines are factual statements that egg-on readers to gain more information on the topic being written. Question headlines are ones in which a question is sparked to encourage further reading into the story. Use the correct type of headline to coincide with the content of the story.

Using good content, the four U’s, and proper headline types will create strong headlines. Strong headlines will sell stories. Strong headlines show strong journalism. The stronger a story is, will increase advertising money in publication. Good headlines are the foundation of a story.

Importance of Editing for Facts & Grammar

When one becomes a writer, they are accepting a social responsibility. That responsibility is to tell a story. The story could be anything from a children’s story to a horror story. The story could also be informative and explain an event. The story could even be investigative and give the audience an inside look at a current event. Whatever the story may be, it is the writer’s duty to tell it truthfully in the best way possible. A story’s most basic purpose is to inform and to entertain. Therefore, it is important for the author, and or his assistants, to fact check and proof read with good grammar.

Fact Checking is one of the first ways to proofread a story before it is sent out. Daily newspapers and different journals give out numbers, dates, and statistics frequently. These numbers must be correct. If someone was to send out a wrong statistic, it could cost the publisher millions of dollars, and they would have to spend a lot of time and effort to fixing something that could have been avoided. It is important to be right with facts because it will increase the company’s or individual’s credibility. If a reporter misspells someone’s name, that person will be upset. If you mess up the time of an event for a publication, that event could seriously fail. If a writer mis-interprets someone’s quotes, that company could face serious legal issues for putting “words in someone’s mouth” or creating a “bad image” for the “wronged” person. Being correct and fact checking the message you send out is so important. It will encourage people to go to that writer or publisher first, since they know it to be a trusted resource. Smashing Magazine explains why fact checking is so important,
“Whether or not you strive to produce writing that you consider journalism is not all that important. What is important is that no matter what writing genre you specialize in, you have a responsibility to your readers to publish high quality writing that is truthful, accurate, and readable. Oh, and this applies to your professional Twitter stream and Facebook updates, too. All of these elements have a reflection on you and your brand” (Redding).
Your reflection will be responsible for what type of job and what type of salary you land. Ethically and morally it is so important to publish the truth because not only do your readers deserve it, but you, the writer, does too.

Fact checking is important and increases credibility, but proper grammar is just as important and also increases credibility. Grammar is the foundation for our language and helps us communications our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. Bad grammar can be disastrous for a writer. The very first example would be resumes. In today’s job market, a company can get over 100 applicants to fill one position. The only way companies can narrow the search is by looking at resumes. Spelling or usage errors in the resume will result in that job being denied to that person. The company could potentially just stop reading at the first error. Besides resumes, any piece of work published should be grammatically correct. It is embarrassing for a company, publisher, or author to send out a piece of work with simple spelling mistakes. Readers will not want to read a poorly written piece and therefore the medium in which the piece was written will lose revenue. If grammar is used incorrectly the entire content of a piece can misunderstood. Good Grammar makes good writing, which makes the message being communicated able to be clearly understood.

Having a good grammar in resumes and essays is important, but how does one properly correct and edit their work? Some of the best ways that a writer can make sure mistakes do not end up in the writing are getting a friend to edit and using Microsoft Spell Checker. Microsoft spell check is a tool that is installed on most computers, and is a great device to notice common errors and help one spell out words. However, this cannot be the only way one grammatically corrects his work. Popular blogger Rashel Carnefix recommends people to, “Read your content backwards – starting with the last word and reading right to left, bottom to top. This practice forces your eyes to see each word in its own right, rather than as part of a sentence” (Carnefix). This is a great tool in addition to spell check or getting a friend to edit. Another tool that is great for writing is the AP stylebook. This is a book published yearly by the Associated Press. It is a book that gives the English language a standard in which items are to spelled, and the way certain words are abbreviated, especially in journalistic writing.

Fact checking and using grammar while proof reading is imperative for good writing. If a writer does not check his facts and they are wrong then his entire piece of writing is faulty. The writers company he works for will face a lot of problems ranging from viewer trust to legal issues. A misspelled or poorly written piece of work will not spark interest in it. Grammar is important so one can communicate effectively with their audience. Fact checking and grammar are two super important tools to use when writing and editing.

How to Avoid Libel & Slander

Avoiding Libel and Slander

In journalism and various print media there are many ways a writer can make a statement about someone. How that statement is told can impact various people. If it is a statement that gets published and negatively impacts a person, there are legal issues that can come out of it. Libel and slander are the terms associated with the act of defamation. To become stronger writers, authors must understand these terms and know how to avoid them.

Defamation is the act of damaging the good reputation of someone (Bonner). This is the first general term that journalists use when dealing with creating a public opinion or informing the public on a person or issue. Libel is the word used when journalists actually publish a written statement damaging a person’s reputation. Slander deals with the same issue as Libel, but is used when a journalist vocally voices a damaging statement. Defamation, Libel and slander are three terms journalists must keep in mind when producing a story. It is all about how one conveys another person. It is important to note that defaming someone is illegal. No one has the right to publically humiliate someone. The common places to find damaging works are in letters to the editor, blog posts, list servers (like email), and public comment in media (Rodgers). An opinion and fact are two very different words that authors need to keep in mind when writing a story.

Authors should make their headlines into opinions, rather than negative info presented factually. This keeps them safe from jurisdiction and misinterpretation. In the 90’s a famous court case actually gave journalists more freedom concerning libel and slander. The case of NY Times vs. Sullivan was a Supreme Court case that protected the press. Under the first amendment, it noted that public officials and celebrities have little power over negative comments made about them because they are in the public spot light frequently (Rodgers). This does not however give writers the freedom to write anything they please, but it gives them freedom to investigate any scandals that may occur and allows them to inform the public about their findings. On a local level, it gets very tricky if a station try’s to publish defaming comments about a teacher or local citizen that leads an “average” life. This is why politicians and celebrity’s are regularly under the spot life, being reported on.

One of the press biggest jobs is for them to be watchdogs of the government. To accurately report on findings, writers must back up their opinions with facts and cite where their reports were found. Gossip and rumors don’t make news unless one has a reliable source to credit them. To report a fair story, journalists should tell the truth, and use fair comments and criticism. This is done by using proper ethics and writing for the good of the public. Stay away from malice reporting. It is illegal. This type of reporting is when a writer publishes a story they know is false. Tabloids commonly create headlines that are totally false. The corporations for these articles face many lawsuits yearly. Using common sense and facts will help you not only become a better writer, but it will help you stay truthful and within the law.

Understanding libel and slander, while knowing how to avoid them, is extremely important in journalism. Writing is an art, so craft your pieces carefully and well thought out. Creating a damaging story could one day cost you your job or give you a big fine to pay off. Slander is defamation through verbal statements while libel is in the written form. Great journalists present their stories backed with facts.

Reaction from the film: Shattered Glass

Shattered Glass Reaction

Communication and media groups should always be aware of the image they create of themselves. These types of businesses and professionals have a duty and role of controlling and delivering messages, images, and ideas about the company they represent. The movie Shattered Glass takes a creative, and inward look at a reporter who takes an untruthful path to his writing.

Stephen Glass, the protagonist of Shattered Glass, is a writer for the acclaimed New Republic. He starts out as a normal journalist searching for stories. He gets along with his co-workers and always tries to impress his editor. He has a way with getting people to like him. He lures his fellow writers into believing he has a hard time going through life and acts like his stories are crap. He talks to his editor like he is a kid or class pet, earning for knowledge and to be loved. As his stories and writing grows, he becomes published more and more. Glass gains respect from everyone and he is on a roll with life. Then, a competing publication finds his bluff and discovers that his journalistic news stories are all fake. Every one of them was made up.

The movie goes to a great deal to be realistic. It shows the newsroom and how the team for the New Republic conducts its daily business. It shows Stephen Glass in his home and how even a couple years ago, technology still played a large roll in news and journalism. I enjoyed the film overall. The directors’ to have Glass in a classroom as a guest speaker to narrate the film was magnificent. It showed him being a hot shot like everyone believed him to be. Then at the end showed the classroom empty, to visualize everything he lost and truly what he truly was, nothing. Artistically, I did not care for some of Stephen Glass’s co-workers. I thought their acting was dry and scenes with his “fellow writers” bore me.

As a digital journalism major in college, this film made me realize how important it is to tell the truth. We have a duty to our writing outlets name, our readers, and our competitors. The film also made me more aware of the need to be pleasant. Glass was always energetic and enthusiastic about his pieces. This helped him gain the fame and publicity he received. Shattered Glass showed that the journalism world is huge. I was fascinated at the scenes with the lawyers and higher up executives. I want to work for a large corporation one day, so those scenes interested me. The film did a great job at making the job of a writer seem very difficult. Constantly, these people are editing their work and fact checking. There is a lot that goes into producing a paper or magazine with each issue.

Overall I give the film and A-. It was very well written and directed. The acting was fine. If the co-workers of Stephen Glass used a more lively approach to their characters, I think it would’ve made the acting stellar. I recommend this movie to people interested in journalism, writing, or big cities/ corporations. The film developed themes of aspiration, and corruption.

My Feature Story Exmple

(Pictured with his wife)

A Legacy
Upon first look, many students see professor Bill Dorman as a typical college professor. He is old, white haired man, and likes to crack an occasional joke. He enjoys football and is a bit of a news junky. This professor, however, is much more than just a teacher or average guy. He is a dad, husband, friend and even an advisor for the university’s student television and broadcast organizations. Dr. Bill Dorman is a storyteller and a networker. Whenever a student walks into his office, he graciously welcomes them and loves to listen. Not only is he a listener, he offers great advice. He does it in a manner that is comfortable and that showcases his genuine interest. He is due to retire soon. He will be greatly missed but not forgotten. I urge any MU students to take a class with him before he goes in the spring of 2016.

Dr. Bill Dorman started his career out in radio. He grew up in northern New Jersey, the youngest of 6 children. Dr. Dorman received his undergraduate degree from Susquehanna University in theatre and communication. In radio, he was an account executive, dick jockey, newscaster, & sports announcer for WMLP in Milton, PA, and WHLM in Bloomsburg, PA. After radio, he transitioned into a television job at WVIA-TV in a Wilkes Barre / Scranton, Pennsylvania station. Dorman was actually let go due to a 20% reduction in staff. This sparked his move in graduate work to advance his career. He went to Bloomsburg State College for his Masters degree in Communication, and later went to Pennsylvania State University for his doctorate. His teaching credits include work at both Bloomsburg and Penn State. He currently teachers and has spent his majority of his career, here at Millersville University. Courses taught include graduate and undergraduate.

Dorman’s successful teaching career has had support from many different people, but no one as much as Dr. Al Forsyth. Forsyth met Dorman while working at Bloomsburg State College. The two became great friends, and it was Forsyth who insisted that Dorman complete his doctorate. Forsyth took a very active interest in the completion of Dorman’s dissertation, even inviting him to his home on several occasions. To this day, Al Forsyth and Bill Dorman are good friends. Their families even vacation together.

Dorman attributes his success not only to Forsyth, but also largely to his family. His wife, Susan, who was his high school sweetheart, and their three kids are probably his proudest accomplishment. His family has been his rock and he admits he is first and foremost a family man. All of his children are very successful. They now have careers ranging from teaching (like their father) to computer science (similar to dad’s broadcast work, but more computer and technology focused).

When Al Forsyth was asked about Bill Dorman he had only great things to say. “I applaud Bill’s efforts to awaken a sleepy speech communication program and turn it into the dynamic major M.U. now has. He makes a big difference in students’ lives out of the classroom as well as in. Millersville has been lucky to have him.” What Al said was completely true.

Dorman has been a broadcast professor of the Communication and Theatre department at Millersville for over 20 years. He served as the department chair from 2003 to 2008. His most public and accomplished job on campus has been with the campus cable T.V. station and the National Broadcasting Society. He has led and developed the clubs to produce award-winning works, and each year chaperones one or more trips for his students to attend national and regional conferences. The work he has led with these clubs attributes to his alumni’s success. When asked about involvement, Dorman was humble and responded, “it was never I that led to the successful clubs, there is no secret, it was the students. I will miss the energy they bring the most.”

His students are again what really define Dorman as a person. Every email Dorman has received from a former student, he saves in a special folder. He has his own “alumni database” and enjoys interacting with former students, whether on line, on the golf course, or for lunch. He keeps in contact with them regularly and whenever his clubs or students go on a trip he looks up any and all contacts he has in that respective city.

The use of his “alumni database” signifies one of his most enjoyable activities, networking. He does a fantastic job at connecting students with an internship or job. If Dorman ever needs a favor, someone will be able to get it achieved for him. His friendliness, support, and caring have had an impact on his alumni, friends, colleagues, and students. Former student and current producer for WGAL news, Amanda Conroy (MU’ 14), describes him as being, “a driving force in the communication department. His experience in the field and commitment to students has allowed him to be the go-to guy for guidance and advice. Any student who took the time to know Dr. Dorman was given access to his wide range of knowledge and expertise not only of the broadcasting industry but of life as well. The department will not be the same without him, but the legacy he is leaving behind is extraordinary.”

Even if Dorman does not know someone at an event, which is rare, he will come out of it knowing half the room. He is very outgoing and is a storyteller. He shows enthusiasm when in conversation which in turn complements his networking. With a life as successful and exciting as Dorman’s, he sure knows how to interest people with happenings from his life. Around every departure for a trip he likes to remind students how it is their responsibility to keep tack of bearings and time, or he will leave them there. Unfortunately a few students have tested those boundaries and been left behind.

Besides teaching, and leading the broadcast clubs Dorman’s creative scholarship has included a fantastic video program he co-produced with his wife. The award winning series features topics such as bullying, intercultural communication, and other communication topics for educators. The pair has always been advocators for peace and friendliness. Friend and colleague, Al Forsyth, said, “In short Bill and his wife are the prototypes for what our country needs to make it have the compassion and commitment to the well-being of all. That guides who they are, and all of us who have had the good fortune of having paths that intersect and run along with them, are enriched by this amazing couple. If only we could clone them, the world would become a better place. His retirement will be a great loss to the students at M.U., but he and his wife will continue to brighten every corner of the world in which they associate with others. Select him as your model. You could not find a better one!”. The video work the couple produced years ago is still used today and has led him to produce a graduate class on the importance of anti-bulling.

When looking at Dr. Bill Dorman, people will hopefully now see him as a networker, friend, storyteller, and great leader. The impact he has in the Department of communication and theatre is indescribable. Dorman is very humble about his impact. He senses it is his time to enjoy his golden years now and when he retires, MU probably will not see much of him. MU will not forget his impact though, and his broadcast clubs will always remember him as an integral part of the whole process.