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

The closing copy closes the circle of your theme story.

Wraps up the story of the year

Includes impact on students, teachers, administrators, staff, community

Should be the same form as the opening

Demonstrates growth on the theme topic