This piece made me wonder if there's a distinction to be made between a headline that sounds like print media and a title in creative work. I find the jigsaw analogy unsettling because, to me, a jigsaw invites intellectual endeavour to put the pieces together. However, a title becomes a key or maybe even a wand with magical powers to elicit new ideas, feelings, and images or bring disparate things together in a new way. My process often starts with a title or a theme. Titles change as I write; they are labile in the process. The intellectual approach never worked well for me, which makes me wonder how I ever got by at uni. Thanks for your stimulating insights.
That’s a good way to distinguish the two types of headlines. I brought up the puzzle idea on purpose because most people see it as a creative endeavour, but I wanted to highlight the risk of starting with the ending too firmly in mind. In my experience, I used to obsess over the headline before I’d even begun writing. That made the final piece feel rigid—and rarely fresh.
What’s worked better for me is starting with an unfinished headline: a question, a story seed, or just a loose thought. It gives me direction without boxing me in, and the whole process feels much more alive and rewarding.
My favorite sentence - "the real reward of writing for me isn’t control; it’s curiosity"
Headline optimization at the start of the writing process is fine, but the danger as you said is when you get boxed in vs. writing out your thoughts and letting the ideas "germinate".
This piece made me wonder if there's a distinction to be made between a headline that sounds like print media and a title in creative work. I find the jigsaw analogy unsettling because, to me, a jigsaw invites intellectual endeavour to put the pieces together. However, a title becomes a key or maybe even a wand with magical powers to elicit new ideas, feelings, and images or bring disparate things together in a new way. My process often starts with a title or a theme. Titles change as I write; they are labile in the process. The intellectual approach never worked well for me, which makes me wonder how I ever got by at uni. Thanks for your stimulating insights.
That’s a good way to distinguish the two types of headlines. I brought up the puzzle idea on purpose because most people see it as a creative endeavour, but I wanted to highlight the risk of starting with the ending too firmly in mind. In my experience, I used to obsess over the headline before I’d even begun writing. That made the final piece feel rigid—and rarely fresh.
What’s worked better for me is starting with an unfinished headline: a question, a story seed, or just a loose thought. It gives me direction without boxing me in, and the whole process feels much more alive and rewarding.
I agree. The jigsaw thing never worked for me because there's only one right way to finish it LOL
Probably why I’ve never managed to finish them either, haha.
My favorite sentence - "the real reward of writing for me isn’t control; it’s curiosity"
Headline optimization at the start of the writing process is fine, but the danger as you said is when you get boxed in vs. writing out your thoughts and letting the ideas "germinate".
Thanks, Ian. And “letting ideas germinate” is my favorite from your comment. :)