1. Writing Opening, Closing, & Dividers
Caption
Why & How
When & Where
Who & What
Walsworth Workshop
Writing Captions
&
Writing Opening, Closing, & Dividers
By John Langley
© 2012

2. 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 <

3. Bad captions are evil! No Captions don’t No “gag” or joke captions
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 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
"Writing Captions with Flair." School Yearbook Publisher - Walsworth Yearbooks. Web. 28 June <

4. Bad captions are not allowed.
Smekens, Kristina. Yourbook: His Story, Her Story, Their Story, Your Story. Marceline: Walsworth Company and Kristina Smekens, Print.

5. 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 <

6. 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 <

7. Good captions are awesome!
Smekens, Kristina. Yourbook: His Story, Her Story, Their Story, Your Story. Marceline: Walsworth Company and Kristina Smekens, Print.

8. Good captions are clear!
Smekens, Kristina. Yourbook: His Story, Her Story, Their Story, Your Story. Marceline: Walsworth Company and Kristina Smekens, Print.

9. 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 <

10. Theme writing is a continuum of caption writing and is circular.
Opening
Divider
Closing

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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