Quick Caption Writing Checklist
Staffers can use this checklist as a quick and easy way to be sure captions are complete and have variety on each spread.
The caption has some sort of starter — introductory phrase, bold face, color, all caps.
The first sentence is written in present tense.
Subsequent sentences are written in past tense.
The caption has at least two sentences.
There is variety in the way captions start. Not every caption begins with a name.
The caption tells more than what is obvious in the photograph.
The writer’s opinion is avoided in the caption.
The caption uses picture-painting verbs.
The caption gives information not already included in the story.
Sports opponents are identified by jersey number and name.
Want more? Check out our top 10 list for writing detailed captions.
Additional Resources
What to Write in a Yearbook
A little thought goes a long way when signing a yearbookWhile the phrase, “Have a great summer” is certainly a nice sentiment to share with a classmate toward the end of your school year it’s not exactly a literary masterpiece when it comes to a yearbook entry, is it?Why are …
Sentence Structure Types
Professional writers typically use four types of sentence structures when writing copy. Practice emulating each of these sentence structures when composing your yearbook copy.
The Purpose of Yearbook
In the children’s book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, a young boy searches for ways to find lost memories for an old woman who had lost her own. Through his persistent questions and vivid imagination, he inspires her to remember events from her past. A yearbook should allow any reader to do the same when it is visited years later.
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