5 ms·
Something I didn't know when I started writing for Inc: The authors don't write the headlines. The editors write the headlines and subheads. Please don't hold
by jasonfried 16y ago
Something I didn't know when I started writing for Inc: The authors don't write the headlines. The editors write the headlines and subheads.
Please don't hold the "6 easy steps" part against me. Easy steps anything makes me cringe.
- pg 16y agoWhen magazines or newspapers ask me to write things for them, I tell them I'll only do it if they print what I write verbatim. (They can of course choose not to print it at all, but if they print it they have to print it as written.) Most say no, but some have said yes. Of those who said yes, not all actually did, but no one went so far as to change a title.
- jasonfried 16y agoGood advice. I never realized the author didn't write the headline/subhead - I love writing headlines and subheads. Noted for all future writing contracts.
- _delirium 16y agoI think it's fairly standard in journalism (both newspapers and magazines). A lot of bigger magazines and newspapers have a full-time headline writer who basically does only that, possibly along with some related headline-ish tasks like pulling out those random quotes from the article that get printed in large font in insets.
- stcredzero 16y agoNewspapers and magazines also have a stake in their own brand, image, and "feel." They also have a stake in the marketability of their product, or their own idiosyncratic view of such, which in this context would be your essay/article.
- jacques_chester 16y agoI used to work at a newspaper. This person is known as the "subeditor". They also have influence on page layouts in their section, so they have the power to highlight or bury some stories.
- dave1619 16y agoWhat was your original title?
- marcamillion 16y agoWhat about interviews ? Out of curiosity, did you approve of that 'searching for the next Facebook' headline ?
- MEHColeman 16y agoAnyhoo, this is too many steps. I want to make money in no more than 3 easy steps. Two easy steps would be even better.
- Stormbringer 16y ago(1) Find something that causes people pain (2) For a fee, fix it (3 optional) build Scrooge McDuck style money bin to contain your new found wealth
- VB6_Forever 16y agoYes 2, 3, 5 or 7 only for easy steps. Anyone who has 6 easy steps to do anything is clearly an idot.
- VB6_Forever 16y agoI think that there's a herd mentality here w.r.t voting. Thankfully the system doesn't let the mob downvote too far
- VB6_Forever 16y agobaa baa edit -4 looks to be the limit to downvoting
- VB6_Forever 16y agoWhat getting -4 really means is that if the 'community' of this webtopia could downvote you more they would
- anateus 16y agoActually, your karma still goes down, there's just no display-level lower than -4.
- VB6_Forever 16y ago
- edw519 16y agoJason, on a scale of 1 (I didn't even write that) to 10 (that's exactly what I said), where would you say the final output of this article scored?
- jasonfried 16y agoI wrote the whole article, just not the headlines/subheads. My editor always tweaks a few words here and there, but I always review prior to publication. So I'd say it's a 9.9.
- 6ren 16y agoWhat was your headline (and subheads)?