Create Creative Heads and Subheads

This is one of my most dreaded activities while at work. I actually have nightmares about it at work, and I don't think I'm alone. Creating good headlines and subheads can be one of the most difficult tasks for anyone, but can be just as important for freelancers as creating a good article. Headings (or Deks) for freelancers are important because they sum up your story in less than a sentence - by creating a catchy heading, this can often be the selling point for an editor on the fence about accepting a story that may need a little work (especially one that dreads writing them herself!). It shows that you can be creative and are willing to go the extra mile. Here are a few tips on how to turn a dreaded activity for both editors and freelancers into something more fun:

1. Read back issues of the magazine that you're either pitching to or writing a story for. I know that this can be a pain in the butt to do, but it's actually very helpful. Editor may prefer to use specific words in Heading and Subheadings. Here are some words that I always find work to get a reader interested in a story: Learn, Discover, Experience, Understand, Master...
I prefer using words that readers feel they can benefit from, and these are all types of words that will draw a reader in. If the first word a reader sees in a heading or subhead is Discover or Learn, they are subconsciously going to ask themselves, "What can I benefit from this article?"

2. Alliterations are fun, but can also be overrated. While they roll off the tongue, are catching to the eye, and definitely appeal to many editors, use them with caution. Editors don't want every single article in their magazine to start off with an alliteration. The same goes for rhyming. If you are looking for a word to rhyme with your topic though, a great website to visit which may save time is www.rhymezone.com, which will tell you how many syllables are in each word or phrase that rhymes with your original word that you typed in a search for.

3. Try to find a well-known book, song or movie that you can use as a subhead. I recently used the subhead "An Affaire to Remember" for a press release on a well-known Equine Trade Show called the Equine Affaire. Visit www.lyrics.com or www.imdb.com and type in a search for one word to find out what your options are for movies or songs that can be applied to your heading!

4. Use numbers. If you're giving tips or writing a "How-to" article, implementing numbers in your heading (i.e., 13 Tips on Planning a Party) is always an option. Here's a fun fact that a marketing friend once told me: odd numbers are more appealing to people than even numbers. Also, the more tips or pieces of advice you're willing to share, the merrier! Would you rather hear about eight places to go on a day-trip with your family, or nine places to go?

5. Seek help from friends and family. At a recent writer's conference, we were paired into groups so that we could come up with headings for stories, and the old saying "Two Heads are Better Than One" proves to be true. Each writer in our group managed to come up with their own heading, such as "Bids for Kids: Make Your Business More Marketable to Children" and "Finding Equine-librium".

6. That last heading leads me to my last piece of advice! Don't be afraid to create a new word! Some of the best phrases used today have been coined by freelance writers (probably most of them)! Wouldn't it be cool to see a word in the dictionary some day and tell your grandchildren that you created it? One recent word coined in the equine media world (besides equine-librium) is equinomics (economics in the equine industry). We coined the word equine-librium by simply brainstorming words and expressions that referred to an article about balancing life between the barn and home. One person mentioned the word equilibrium as being synonomous to "balance", I threw the word "equine" into the mix, and a new word was born. When you hear someone mention the word equine-librium someday in the future, be sure to tell them that I coined the word!