JohnWriter 13 | - Freelance Writer
Oct 12, 2017 | #1
If you stopped to read this blog because you found yourself engaged by the title I chose to use for it, then I have succeeded in accomplishing one of the most difficult acts in writing, developing a catchy title. Honestly, if the title of this article did not catch your attention, then there is absolutely no way that I would have succeeded in getting you to read this blog article. The title is the perhaps the most important part of essay writing, and yet most writers tend to neglect the development of a proper, interesting, or engaging title for their essays. Writers don't realize that the title is what brings their words to the attention of the reader. Without an interesting title, the essay is dead in the water. The problem, is that not all writers can develop an interesting title. Is there a secret to developing an interesting title?
Use the topic title as a place holder - When the material is assigned to you, shorten the assignment instruction first. This will give you a pretty good idea of what your final title might end up being. So, if the assignment instruction is; "Discuss if there are benefits for the host country if they host foreign workers in their country.", the title holder can be something like; "Benefits of a country with foreign workers". Your place holder title will also help you keep in mind what the actual essay topic is. Eventually, your essay should begin to take shape and allow you to change the tentative title into a final title. For this essay, the final title can be "The Two-Way Benefit of Foreign Employment". The title immediately poses the question that is to be answered in the essay and the reader is also informed about the discussion outline at the same time.
Use adjectives to your advantage - Have you ever found yourself clicking on a link to a "related" article because of the way that it was written? Statements such as "Absolute Weight Loss Guaranteed!" or "Adele's Pain as She Fumbles Song!" Or even "My Nerd Boyfriend's Incredible Transformation into a Jock", are all word groupings designed to appeal to public interest. Whether the title is sensationalist or just an interesting fun description, the adjectives create a point of interest that makes you think, "I wonder what that's all about..." Which is the first step to getting you to read the essay or article.
Don't go for the obvious titles - The first title that comes to your mind should not be the final title because that is the title you developed on the fly. It isn't any good. Trust me on that. If you are writing about the joy of owning a Golden Retriever, don't use the title "I am Happy with My Golden Retriever". That will just be ignored because you are stating a fact instead of enticing interest. Instead, say something like "The Joys of Being a Golden Retriever Parent". That is less than obvious because not everyone who owns a pet considers himself a parent. Hence the word "Parent" will be the trigger word that entices the reader to learn about an interestingly different kind of parent. Be creative. Don't say what is expected.
The title already makes half of your essay. Once you have an interesting title, the reader will start to read the essay or article. You already reeled in the reader with the interesting title, he already wants to know what you wish to say. Make sure that your essay content is just as interesting as the title of your work. How do you make sure that your essay will hold the interest created by the title? That's coming up in my next blog discussion.
Use the topic title as a place holder - When the material is assigned to you, shorten the assignment instruction first. This will give you a pretty good idea of what your final title might end up being. So, if the assignment instruction is; "Discuss if there are benefits for the host country if they host foreign workers in their country.", the title holder can be something like; "Benefits of a country with foreign workers". Your place holder title will also help you keep in mind what the actual essay topic is. Eventually, your essay should begin to take shape and allow you to change the tentative title into a final title. For this essay, the final title can be "The Two-Way Benefit of Foreign Employment". The title immediately poses the question that is to be answered in the essay and the reader is also informed about the discussion outline at the same time.Use adjectives to your advantage - Have you ever found yourself clicking on a link to a "related" article because of the way that it was written? Statements such as "Absolute Weight Loss Guaranteed!" or "Adele's Pain as She Fumbles Song!" Or even "My Nerd Boyfriend's Incredible Transformation into a Jock", are all word groupings designed to appeal to public interest. Whether the title is sensationalist or just an interesting fun description, the adjectives create a point of interest that makes you think, "I wonder what that's all about..." Which is the first step to getting you to read the essay or article.
Don't go for the obvious titles - The first title that comes to your mind should not be the final title because that is the title you developed on the fly. It isn't any good. Trust me on that. If you are writing about the joy of owning a Golden Retriever, don't use the title "I am Happy with My Golden Retriever". That will just be ignored because you are stating a fact instead of enticing interest. Instead, say something like "The Joys of Being a Golden Retriever Parent". That is less than obvious because not everyone who owns a pet considers himself a parent. Hence the word "Parent" will be the trigger word that entices the reader to learn about an interestingly different kind of parent. Be creative. Don't say what is expected.
The title already makes half of your essay. Once you have an interesting title, the reader will start to read the essay or article. You already reeled in the reader with the interesting title, he already wants to know what you wish to say. Make sure that your essay content is just as interesting as the title of your work. How do you make sure that your essay will hold the interest created by the title? That's coming up in my next blog discussion.