
10 Tips for Writing Copy
THESE TIPS CAN HELP YOU WRITE EFFECTIVE YEARBOOK COPY.
1. KEEP SENTENCES SHORT AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE SIMPLE.
People don’t read long sentences. We can’t change them. Use strong verbs and strong nouns. Drop all the excess.
2. SHORTER PARAGRAPHS ARE MORE INVITING.
People also don’t read long paragraphs. One thought per paragraph. One quote per paragraph. A paragraph can be one sentence. Deep breath English lit teachers.
3. AVOID VAGUE WORDS.
Words such as “many,” “a lot,” “several,” “some” or “a few” waste space. Find the specific or drop the thought.
4. BE SPECIFIC AND ACCURATE.
You are reporting events. It matters that you say the team had a 7-3 season more than it matters that the team had a winning season.
5. KEEP YOUR READER’S ATTENTION.
Take a break from traditional copy every once and a while. Give them a treat with fact boxes, Q and A, bio boxes, timelines, quote collections and public opinion polls.
6. AVOID USING THE PHRASE “THIS YEAR” AND THE NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL.
They know the year and they know the school. That’s the point of the book. Don’t mention them.
7. WRITE COPY IN THE THIRD PERSON.
You’re an objective reporter. Make it sound that way. “He,” “she,” “it” and “they” are your pronouns. Exceptions exist, but they are few.
8. DO NOT EDITORIALIZE.
Quotes are the most important part of the story. So are sources. Have at least three sources per story. Never make an opinion statement that cannot be attributed to a specific source. Be particularly careful with opinionated adjectives and adverbs.
9. FOLLOW YOUR STAFF’S STYLEGUIDE.
List the rules for using names, titles and figures as well as the rules for punctuation and capitalization. Associated Press knows all. Consult the pros when you are lost.
10. USE THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR READERS.
Write the way you speak. This isn’t a term paper people. But, avoid slang and obey basic grammar rules.
Additional Resources
Top 10 Reasons to Join Yearbook
Joining the team that puts together your school’s yearbook is more than just a great way to get involved with your school. It’s also a great way to learn all sorts of valuable skills.#10 It gets you involvedYearbook is a great way to get involved with every aspect of your …
Staging a Yearbook Rescue
Advisers Jim Govreau and Morgan Miltner both submitted their final yearbooks March 9. But, they still have a book to complete. Read how these staffs teamed up to create a book in two weeks for a neighboring school in need.
Yearbook Questionnaire
Getting feedback from the student body is a great way to gain students’ interest in buying a yearbook. Use this questionnaire, or develop your own, to gain useful information when planning your next yearbook.
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