Common Headline Writing Techniques

Alliteration – repetition of the same beginning letter sound, e.g. JUSTICE IS A JOKE.

Assonance – repetition of the same vowel sound e.g. SO ALONE.

Cliché – phrase that has been so over-used it is meaningless: balanced on a knife-edge or walking a tightrope.

Colloquialism – the use of conversational language e.g. THE BOY DUN GOOD. This is both conversational language and a pun on the name of the jockey Richard Dunwoody.

Exclamation – when emphasising something or using humour e.g. NO WAY JOSE!

Hyperbole – exaggeration. For example when a slight problem or difficulty is described as something far worse e.g. NIGHTMARE SEARCH FOR GOOD PUB FOOD.

Metaphors – direct comparison between two unconnected people or things. For example, the use of these boxing metaphors, ‘throwing in the towel’ or ‘saved by the bell’.

Parody – a slight change to a well-known phrase or song to make it fit the story e.g. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE KIDDING MR MILOSEVIC? This was a Mirror headline used during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. It is a direct reference to the WWII song ‘Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler?’ comparing Milosevic directly with Hitler.

Personalisation – the use of first names or nicknames e.g. VOTE FOR MAGGIE or CLOBBA SLOBBA. These abbreviations save both space and narrow the link between the celebrity and the reader.

Pun – a humorous play on words e.g. WHAT’S THE BIG IKEA?

Repetition – reinforces an idea e.g. SPEND, SPEND, SPEND.

Rhyme – makes headlines eye-catching, readable and memorable e.g. WE SPANK THEIR TANKS.