Walsworth WorkshopWriting Captions
&
Writing Opening, Closing, & Dividers
By John Langley
© 2012
Caption
Why & How
When & Where
Who & What
Opening
Divider
Divider
Divider
Closing
Captions are important.
Add Depth and Clarity
Challenging to write – not impossible
Caption rules are simple
"Writing Captions with Flair." School Yearbook Publisher - Walsworth Yearbooks. Web. 28 June 2010. <http://www.walsworthyearbooks.com/idea-file/7140/writing-captions-with-flair/>.
Bad captions are evil!
No name leads
Don’t overuse same lead pattern
No label leads
Don’t state the obvious
Avoid use of to be verb (is, as, was, were)
Don’t pad caption
"Writing Captions with Flair." School Yearbook Publisher - Walsworth Yearbooks. Web. 28 June 2010. <http://www.walsworthyearbooks.com/idea-file/7140/writing-captions-with-flair/>.
No• Pictured above• Shown above• Seems to• Attempts to
Captions don’t• Comment to person pictured• Talk to the person pictured• Ask a question of the person
pictured• Editorialize
No “gag” or joke captions
Bad captions are not allowed.
Smekens, Kristina. Yourbook: His Story, Her Story, Their Story, Your Story. Marceline: Walsworth Company and Kristina Smekens, 2001. Print.
Good captions have strong components.
Function
• Natural extension of the photo
• Use complete sentences
• Use complete names
• Factual information• Adequate detail
Grammar
• Strong nouns• Vivid verbs• Variety of
adjectives & adverbs
• Present tense• Active voice• Variety of sentence
patterns
Two sentences
• First sentence is written in present tense and describes the activity occurring in the photograph
• Second sentence is written in past tense and provides background information relating to the photo
"Writing Captions with Flair." School Yearbook Publisher - Walsworth Yearbooks. Web. 28 June 2010. <http://www.walsworthyearbooks.com/idea-file/7140/writing-captions-with-flair/>.
The formula for a good caption is easy.
consider the action before and during the photos, and reaction to the event
interview teachers, sponsors, officers, coaches and other sources
identify all people pictures (up to seven, and then just the main participants)
"Writing Captions with Flair." School Yearbook Publisher - Walsworth Yearbooks. Web. 28 June 2010. <http://www.walsworthyearbooks.com/idea-file/7140/writing-captions-with-flair/>.
Good captions are awesome!
Smekens, Kristina. Yourbook: His Story, Her Story, Their Story, Your Story. Marceline: Walsworth Company and Kristina Smekens, 2001. Print.
Good captions are clear!
Smekens, Kristina. Yourbook: His Story, Her Story, Their Story, Your Story. Marceline: Walsworth Company and Kristina Smekens, 2001. Print.
Some captions have special needs.
Sports•identify both the school’s players and
opponents by jersey number and name•State position of player to add depth•Consider those players which lead up to the
action shot•Tell result of the play or outcome of the
game
Group•Begin with name of group•Identify from left to right, but don’t write that
as part of the caption•Give clear row designation of Front row,
Row 2, Row 3, Back row•Row designations should be set in different
typeface or in parenthesis
"Writing Captions with Flair." School Yearbook Publisher - Walsworth Yearbooks. Web. 28 June 2010. <http://www.walsworthyearbooks.com/idea-file/7140/writing-captions-with-flair/>.
Theme writing is a continuum of caption writing and is circular.
Opening
Divider
Divider
Divider
Closing
The opening lays the groundwork for your theme.
Introduce the theme
Begin the story of the year
Includes impact on students, teachers, administrators, staff, community
Can be a narrative, poem, dialogue
The divider copy continues your theme story for that section.
Expresses the theme as portrayed in the section
Includes impact on students, teachers, administrators, staff, community
Can be a narrative, poem, dialogue
Form should be consistent throughout all dividers