How to Write an Engaging Headline

Writing an essay or a story might seem like the most challenging part of a project, but crafting an eye-catching headline can be just as difficult. However, with the right mix of organization and creativity, you can generate several potential headline options and select the perfect one for your work.

Draft the Essay First. The headline is the first thing readers will see, but it's often the last thing a writer creates. You might not fully understand what your essay will convey until you've written a substantial portion.

• Essays tend to evolve as they are drafted and revised. The initial headline you choose might not fully capture the essence of your essay when it’s finished. Be sure to revise the headline once you’ve completed the writing process.

Identify the main themes in your work. Non-fiction works typically have a central argument. Create a list of two or three key points that you are trying to argue for.

• Consider the thesis statement. This sentence reflects the main point of the essay and can help inspire a suitable headline.
• Examine the summary sentence of each paragraph. Reading these might help you identify themes, symbols, or artistic representations in the text that could be woven into the headline.
• Consider asking a friend to read your work to help you pinpoint themes.

Identify your target audience. Write down a few groups of people who would be interested in your topic and why they would find it compelling.

• If you’re writing a school assignment, or your audience consists of scholars and experts in the field, use formal language. Avoid playful tones or slang terms.
• If you're writing for an online audience, think about keywords that readers might use to search for your article. For instance, if you're writing a tutorial, using keywords like "beginner" or "DIY" will signal that your work caters to people of all skill levels.
• If your work is a news story, think about who your audience is. For example, if you're writing about a sports team, include terms like "fans," "coaches," "referees," or the team's name. Readers interested in that sport or team will quickly connect with your point of view and the story's theme.

Think about the function of a headline. Headlines preview the content of the essay, reflect its tone or viewpoint, offer keywords, and grab attention. Your headline should never mislead the reader. It can also hint at the purpose of the work, such as historical context, a theoretical approach, or the argument being made.

Decide between a narrative, descriptive, or interrogative headline. When selecting one of these types, think about the type of information you want to convey to your audience.

• A narrative headline states the main findings or conclusions.
• A descriptive headline portrays the subject without revealing the main conclusion.
• An interrogative headline presents the subject as a question.

Avoid overly long headlines. For non-fiction work, the headline should convey crucial information, keywords, and even methodology. However, a headline that's too long can feel cluttered and obstructive. Aim to keep it to about 10 words or fewer.

Seek inspiration from your own writing. Reread your piece and look for sentences or phrases that highlight the main idea. Typically, the introduction or conclusion contains ideal phrases to form a headline. Mark or note any words or phrases that clearly explain your concept.

• Look for descriptive or attention-grabbing phrases that resonate with you. For instance, in an essay on censorship, a phrase like "banned music" is both descriptive and captivating.

Review your sources. Look for quotes from the sources you’ve used to support your argument that can capture the reader’s attention.

• For example, in an essay on religious persecution, a quote like "God is silent" would grab attention and provoke thought. Readers might immediately agree or disagree and want to read your explanation.
• If you’re using someone else’s quote, make sure it’s enclosed in quotation marks, even in the title.

Create a list of possible titles. Using the list of topics, audiences, phrases, and quotes developed in earlier steps, brainstorm potential words and phrases. Try combining different elements, such as a quote and a topic. Often, writers separate these two elements with a colon. The notes in parentheses in the following examples identify the elements chosen by the writer.

• The Negative Impact of Substitute Referees on Football Fans (Topic and Audience)
• "A Glorious Feat": Exploring the Western Front in World War I (Quote and Topic)
• Diamond Queen: Marie-Antoinette and Revolutionary Propaganda (Phrase and Topic)

Respect conventions. Different fields, such as science, humanities, or the arts, may have different conventions for what constitutes a valid title. If you are aware of any specific expectations, you should follow those guidelines. Keep in mind the following common conventions:

• Most words in your title should begin with a capital letter.
• The first word and the first word after a colon should always be capitalized, even if it's a short word.
• Generally, do not capitalize words like "and," "a," or prepositions unless they are the first word in the title.
• If the title of a book or a movie is part of your essay's title, italicize it, such as The Sexual Relationship Between Vampires in Twilight. Short story titles are always in quotation marks.
• Be aware of whether your work follows MLA, APA, or another style. Websites like Purdue University's Online Writing Lab, APA Style, and MLA Handbook can assist you in applying proper title conventions.

Brainstorm ideas. Write down any words that come to mind when thinking about your story. This can include keywords related to the theme, character names, favorite phrases, or anything else that pops into your head. Organize these into different combinations to see if anything stands out to you.

Research titles in your genre. Look for stories or books that are popular with the audience you are targeting. Readers may be drawn to your work because it reminds them of something they’ve enjoyed before.

• For example, many young adult fantasy novels revolve around one or two catchy keywords like Twilight, Claw Marks, Cinderella, Modern-Day Cinderella.

Create an intriguing title. Boring or generic titles won’t capture the reader's attention. Titles like "The Tree" or "The Train" might describe themes or symbols in your story, but they won’t make readers excited to dive into your work.

• Try adding more descriptive words to your basic title. Successful titles often include descriptive terms like Gifted Tree, Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Mystery of the Blue Train, and The Orphaned Train.

Make the title memorable. Titles should not only grab the reader's attention, but also stick with them. A title that’s hard to remember won’t attract editors or publishers, and readers won’t be able to remember it to recommend to others. Aim for an interesting, yet catchy and memorable title.

• Read the title aloud. Is it difficult to pronounce? Does it sound engaging? Is it boring? Would you use this title? The answers to these questions can help you refine your title.

Pay attention to word choice. A title must suit the story, but it shouldn’t mislead your potential readers. Ensure that your word choices don’t suggest a genre that’s unrelated to your narrative. Your title shouldn’t make it seem like a sci-fi story if it’s a romance.

Use Powerful and Vivid Words. A title needs to stand out. Strong action verbs, lively adjectives, or captivating nouns can make your title compelling. Consider the wording in your potential title. Are there more descriptive or unique synonyms available? Can you select a word that has a more specific meaning? Some overly common words may not always catch the reader's attention.

• For example, using the word “aspiration” in Eugene O'Neill’s Long Day's Journey Into Night is far more interesting than Love Under the Juniper Tree.

Seek Inspiration. Book titles often stem from great works that have been released, such as the Bible, Shakespeare, song lyrics, or other sources. Write down phrases that feel meaningful, beautiful, or captivating to you.

• Some examples of this type of title include: The Grapes of Wrath, Absence, and Distraction, Gaudy Night, and The Fault in Our Stars.

Read Your Own Work. Titles are often memorable lines from the book or story itself. Readers may enjoy the moment when they realize why a story has that particular title.

• Some examples of this type of title include To Kill a Mockingbird, Catch-22, and The Catcher in the Rye.

Write Down Your Ideas When Inspiration Strikes. Often, the best ideas come when you least expect them. You may forget them, so keep a piece of paper and a pencil nearby to jot down your ideas whenever inspiration strikes.

• Write the entire essay, reflect on your argument, and try to summarize it into two to four words.
• Consider using templates for inspiration when crafting a great title.