EDITOR@WORK: great headline

As a former newspaper editor, I can appreciate a great headline, drop head and cutline (you'd call it a caption). The business section of the Dallas Morning News received praise for a story that hit the jackpot in all three categories.

The story is about a business that sells shoes called Heelys; apparently, the shoes have their own wheels, so you can skate at any time. According to the cutline, business peaked in 2006 and has declined since. The last sentence of the cutline says, "This year is called pivotal for the company to dust itself off and get rolling again." Perfect.

The main headline is this: "Is it all downhill for Heelys?" Again, perfect. And the drop head is "Shoemaker cobbling plans to regain traction." A third bit of perfection.

I doubt that I've seen a headline, drop head and cutline more suited to a story.

Thanks to Andy Bechtel of the University of North Carolina journalism department for pointing this out.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com BLUESKY: PROFILE

MORE EDITOR@WORK BLOG ENTRIES

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

BLOG ENTRIES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

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• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer OUTTA there!

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WHEN I POSTED ON HEADLINES recently, I forgot the best headline I ever saw. In boxing, they always talk about the fight of the century. They must have had 40 fights of the century in the 20th century, and at least one of them involved Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

Tyson was getting frustrated, and he bit Holyfield's ear! A few minutes went by, and Holyfield reacted again. Amazingly, Tyson had bitten his ear again! The fight was soon called, and we were all stunned.

From the back of the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier sports department, the always-quiet Rusty Boggs spoke up. "I have the headline," he said.

"Bite of the Century."

Right on. You go, Rusty.

P.S.: Sadly, Rusty died some time ago. I still think of him fondly.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com BLUESKY: PROFILE