How do you get better at headlines?
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If I remember correctly the book Hey Whipple Squeeze This has a great section on headline writing. Worth checking out if you haven’t already.
Honestly if you just reference the chapter on headlines from this book you will write better headlines than 90% of the rest of the world.
I mean until your client makes you jam in seven CTAs and legal has their way with them 🫨
write it in plain language first, in the simplest articulation and then write variations on that, use word play or idioms. Let your stream of consciousness flow and pick out sentences from there.
Say it straight then say it great
Quantity is important, but one trap I see people fall into is writing the same headline with slight variations over and over. Try to come at it from different angles.
Here's your bible https://thecreativefloor.com/portfolio/tom-mcelligott/
Rising Star
Write more, try not to overthink it, and look for good examples.
I usually grab a couple of One Show Annuals or Comm Arts and just kinda mindlessly flip through them. I look at how others looked at problems in interesting ways. It helps inspire me to see my own project through a different perspective. Once the juices start flowing I put the books away and just write as fast as I can for as long as I can. No thinking just writing lines lines lines. Then I refine the ones I think work best.
Old school: You have to have something to say and then just imagine ending that sentence with, "..., asshole."
Indeed EX:
That job you had is going to turn into the job you love any day now.
New school: Twists on phrases, more clever than edgey.
Indeed EX:
All work and no play makes Jack very nearly suicidal.
Not good examples but you can see how things have changed. If you want to know how to do this well there's some ways.
1. ChatGPT: This is your Junior. They will spit out tons of stuff that you can work with. It won't be good, just like a junior but it will get you spinning in multiple different ways if you play with it effectively.
2. Write Immediately: DO NOT wait to tackle a writing assignment like headlines to the last minute. You need to consistently jab at the assignment. Spend 20-30 RIGHT AFTER the briefing just writing down headlines. Do not be precious write down half headlines, phrases that you want to use, even too long of lines. You need to get stuff down on paper and build from there.
3. Talk it out: In a jam? Pretend you're telling your friend about it. Record yourself. Talk out loud. This helps you come up with lines the way they should sound, like a chatty person at a bar who has something to talk about.
4. Say it straight, say it right: What are you trying to say. Simple language like, "With Indeed your dream job is closer than you think." Then write that creatively a few times. But that ONE way in. Do not keep hammering that point of view and call it a job well done. There are other simple ways in like, "With Indeed you can find a boss that's been trying to find you." Or, "Being successful just means looking in the right places." Or, "You don't know just how good it is to have a job you love because you've never had one." If you start here and write out just all those different things you can say about your client and then use creativity to make it fun, that's the job.
Good luck, don't kill yourself, jab at it until you feel good.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Force yourself to write it 100 different ways. Literally, 100 times.
Don’t use AI. And I don’t mean just for headlines, don’t use it to write anything, don’t use it to think for you, don’t use it to help with your homework or to summarize things for you. It’s bad for your brain and affects the cognitive skills that you need to write.
I think it depends on what types of headlines you’re writing. but if it’s for an article or website, think of the headline as a summary of the content you’re about to discuss
And keep it simple. Don’t use too many words
Practice.
Remember that not all headlines are sentences. And vise versa.
Listen with your eyes
Get Dan Nelken’s book “A Self-help Guide For Cooywriters.”