Not that I do this
Readers complain about headlines of stories almost as often as they complain about the stories themselves. Makes sense. Headlines are frequently the only things that are read, and the writer can only use a few words in which to convey a story's point.
Every week or so, Jim Denery, one of our copy desk chiefs, sends out a memo of information, advice and encouragement to his staff. Here's part of the valuable advice he sent out about headlines. (He openly acknowledges stealing entirely from Kenn Finkel, a ex-newspaperman and now consultant.)
A. Essentially, a good headline is:
* An uncluttered single thought.
* Specific -- Try to avoid a headline that's obvious and true most any day, such as the all-time favorite of the chief slot at the San Antonio Express-News: "Some stocks go up; others go down."
* Constructed of short, simple words -- A couple of months ago, we had a head that said that parents were complaining that officials with the county school system were "not communicative." We should have pushed something more along the lines of the officials "weren't talking."
* Expressed with a strong verb. When you can, avoid the verbs to be and to have. Often, they'll weaken the head.
* Usually in the active voice -- Please note the "usually." Passive voice will often save you space. If you need that space to make a point clear, take it.
* One that violates any or all of these rules when necessary.
B. They distill the news. Editors must know the backgrounds of stories in order to bring a sense of perspective to headlines. Avoid reporting something that's already appeared in the paper. Update the story.
C. They are the windows to stories, so they must be clear and concise.
D. They are also the window dressing of the newspaper pages, so they must be attractive and compelling.
E. They are often the only part of the paper that is read, so they must be informative. In cases of straight news stories, they should stand on their own. In almost every case, readers should learn something from a headline, even if they don't read the story.
Jim and Kenn say much more about the proper construction of headlines, but I'm going to save it for a newspaper column later. Besides, with this guide in hand, I need to spend some time honing my own skills.