Headline Question

[JD]

I am just wondering if a possible headline I am writing may be a little to long. I am currently writing a piece for 49ersWebzone.com, for which I am a Staffer....the headline I have in mind is, "Niners can't afford to take Gore for granted". I like it, but I think it may be stretching it in terms of words. Thoughts on proper headlines?

 

[Chi City 81]

It's a Web site. I think you're fine.

But "Niners can't take Gore for granted" cuts two words and has the same impact.

 

[KevinmH9]

I'll agree with the earlier post, but I'm not quite sure what the story is about. Maybe some insight as to what the story is about would help.

 

[zebracoy]

Probably about taking Frank Gore for granted.

Just a hunch.

 

[dooley_womack1]

Probably about taking Frank Gore for granted.

Just a hunch.

And by gum, don't do it.

 

[fishwrapper]

I am just wondering if a possible headline I am writing may be a little to long. I am currently writing a piece for 49ersWebzone.com, for which I am a Staffer....the headline I have in mind is, "Niners can't afford to take Gore for granted". I like it, but I think it may be stretching it in terms of words. Thoughts on proper headlines?

Can someone kern that into a 1-42-4?

 

[mike311gd]

Probably about taking Frank Gore for granted.

Just a hunch.

You're smart. S-M-R-T.

And now the living room is on fire. Way to be.

 

[Chi City 81]

I am just wondering if a possible headline I am writing may be a little to long. I am currently writing a piece for 49ersWebzone.com, for which I am a Staffer....the headline I have in mind is, "Niners can't afford to take Gore for granted". I like it, but I think it may be stretching it in terms of words. Thoughts on proper headlines?

Can someone kern that into a 1-42-4?

Yeah, maybe at 16p and -20.

 

[airdizzy43]

If the hed is for a Web site, where usually you aren't bound by point sizes and column widths, use as many words as you feel sells the story. Obviously don't go overboard and write 20-word heds, but your original hed seemed fine.

 

[fishwrapper]

If the hed is for a Web site, where usually you aren't bound by point sizes and column widths, use as many words as you feel sells the story. Obviously don't go overboard and write 20-word heds, but your original hed seemed fine.

Thanks. That's really helpful.
Do you have any pointers for cutlines when not confined by space?

 

[dooley_womack1]

That's bull, diz; just because you have all the space in the world doesn't mean you're still not trying to get the most impact in the fewest words. A hed drones on and on a lot faster than copy does.

 

[PHINJ]

Since it's a Web site, I would say Frank Gore and 49ers.

 

[fishwrapper]

Sometimes wordy is good. My favorite:

 

[Football_Bat]

"STINKO DE FLYO" is right next to "Roasted Nuts" is the F_B pantheon.

 

[PHINJ]

There is nothing next to Roasted Nuts.

 

[SF_Express]

Funny thing about web heads, on columns and news stories at least. You like to be tight, but you also can't be TOO short, it just looks weird. So sometimes you actually have to pad with a few words.

Although having typed that, I guess upon further review, it's no different than a 6-42-1 in which you could say exactly you wanted in 3 columns. It's just that ALL of our headlines are basically 6-42-1s.