COPY
The point about copy writing is to not start off like this.
Truly.
Repeat after me.
I will NOT write BORING copy.
Okay. We’re clear now.
The point about copy writing is that it doesn’t state the obvious and it doesn’t kill the person’s interest halfway through the sentence. It’s really easier said than done, and we’ve heard it all before: just get the details down; hook, line and sinker.
Every time we get a yearbook, we know that no one’s ever going to sit down and read a copy beginning to end; it’s the sad truth, but the truth nonetheless. On the bright side, we can use this knowledge to help us. If we know people will get bored, we need to do a few things to keep them hooked.
Scrunching up her eyebrows and biting her lip in frustration, Yeeun Chun (11) types furiously on a computer she ‘borrowed’ to finish her yearbook manual on time. As copy editor, Yeeun was given the job of creating a copy and captions manual for the next year’s yearbook staff.
Yea, not the most entertaining caption in the world but it’s got a lot of information stuffed into it. You can tell I’m obviously not on my own computer, and I’m rushing to finish my work, possibly because I’ve procrastinated, but that’s neither here nor there.
Some pointers about captions:
The point about copy writing is to not start off like this.
Truly.
Repeat after me.
I will NOT write BORING copy.
Okay. We’re clear now.
The point about copy writing is that it doesn’t state the obvious and it doesn’t kill the person’s interest halfway through the sentence. It’s really easier said than done, and we’ve heard it all before: just get the details down; hook, line and sinker.
Every time we get a yearbook, we know that no one’s ever going to sit down and read a copy beginning to end; it’s the sad truth, but the truth nonetheless. On the bright side, we can use this knowledge to help us. If we know people will get bored, we need to do a few things to keep them hooked.
- Powerful lead: Scenarios are good, but don’t overuse them because they sound melodramatic and cliché. Unexpected words/phrases, allusions to famous movies/books/music, etc. help people relate to the copy.
- Focus: You don’t have to cover the entire event if it wasn’t all that spectacular. If there’s a highlight moment in the event or a highlight game in the season, focus on only that. People don’t care about the same old story.
- Add perspective: Yearbook copy isn’t always about what he said she said, or a report on what happened. Think out of the box and provide the missing perspective to the event. If we see a drama production, get behind the scenes and show us how it came to be.
- Voice: A bit of humor or flavor won’t kill the copy. Add in voice and keep people interested.
- Strong words: Avoid articles and “space-filling” phrases. If you can describe an action, use imagery words like “attack” or “dodge,” not “running past the goalie.” Appeal to the senses!
- Be concise: As long as you have some form of an introduction, body, and conclusion, it doesn’t matter how long the copy is. Less is more in this context, unless you can make it super good. Get straight to the point.
- Be positive: Don’t be disgustingly bubbly or obviously insincere, but there’s no need to add unnecessary personal cynicism to an event.
- Simplicity: You don’t need to be ornate. Or cheesy. Don’t clog up your copy with words no one else could know unless they had a dictionary with them, and don’t try to make a sap story out of your copy.
- Explore: Usually, if you were paying attention during an event, what you remember is what other people remember. Cover the basics but look around for more exotic details. Take notes!
- Good quotes: Nothing’s more entertaining than a tell-tale quote from someone we know. Make sure to be at the scene collecting quotes.
- Things can stay the same: It’s not a sin if an event stayed the same from the year before. If it changed, great, but if it didn’t, focus on something other than the “change” aspect. There’s no need to fabricate how something “changed” just to write about it.
- Stick to the present: We want to know what happened at the event, not what happened a year ago. Don’t fall for the “last year…..but this year….” trap and end up writing more about the past than the present.
- Go with the flow: Write what you think is interesting and flesh it out. If you’re someone who gets stuck on a copy outline, ask for help. Advisors, editors, and the writing center is always available.
- Keep updating: New opinions and events happen all the time, so make sure you keep your copy updated with new information and edits.
Scrunching up her eyebrows and biting her lip in frustration, Yeeun Chun (11) types furiously on a computer she ‘borrowed’ to finish her yearbook manual on time. As copy editor, Yeeun was given the job of creating a copy and captions manual for the next year’s yearbook staff.
Yea, not the most entertaining caption in the world but it’s got a lot of information stuffed into it. You can tell I’m obviously not on my own computer, and I’m rushing to finish my work, possibly because I’ve procrastinated, but that’s neither here nor there.
Some pointers about captions:
- Action: Please don’t start off your captions with an obvious statement that uses no form of sensory images. It’s inevitable to describe what’s going on, but the least we can do is make it more interesting.
- Details: It’s crucial to include the back story of what’s going on. Readers probably can’t tell that I’m writing a manual or that I’m on a borrowed computer by just looking at a photo.
- Quotes: Yea, if the person in the photo’s doing something weird, let him explain himself out of it. Don’t try to put another story onto it.
- Don’t over generalize: The second sentence could be a continuation of what the person in the photo is doing, not necessarily an overgeneralization of the student body as a whole or the event as a whole.
- Don’t go overboard: Be simple. Don’t be wordy and confuse readers.
- Grammar: Make sure you’re saying the person is typing and not make it sound like the computer is rushing or some other modification error like that.
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