Comments on: My Dangerous Headlines!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:07:31 +0000

And the odd thing is, I was never that much of a Letterman viewer, I just liked the rhythm of it.

By: Lea Hernandez

Lea Hernandez — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:02:42 +0000

“Stupid Publisher Tricks” is a category I think I’d be too circumspect to use, but I admire you ‘nads for using it.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:45:34 +0000

Oh, Tim, they already have, and worse. It only matters if I care what they think.

By: odessa steps magazine

odessa steps magazine — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:33:43 +0000

“Stupid Publisher Tricks” is also a metatextual reference, so I always took it with a grain of salt.

By: Rivkah

Rivkah — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:07:54 +0000

“Stupid Publisher Tricks” is my favorite category. Don’t change it, Johanna!

By: Tim O'Shea

Tim O'Shea — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:04:19 +0000

Not to break up the lovefest, Johanna. ;)

Headlines need to grab people’s attention, no doubt. But I wonder if people linked to your opinion as “Stupid Blogger’s Opinion” you might see why some publisher’s get annoyed when you opt for “Stupid Publisher Tricks”.

Of course, I say this as the guy who writes the crappiest headlines, so I may just be jealous about your skills. :)

By: Ed Sizemore

Ed Sizemore — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:09:01 +0000

Johanna,

You can always link to Leigh’s quote to back you up ;-}

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:03:10 +0000

You are all making me so happy I have such intelligent, funny readers.

(Ed, isn’t that awfully pretentious? :) )

David, oh, yes, that makes sense. And I share your dislike of that word.

By: Rivkah

Rivkah — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:01:30 +0000

Everything causes drama on the internets. It’s up to you whether to use that for good or evil, though. ;D

If a headline incites thoughtful discussion while distinguishing the noobs who didn’t make it any further past the headline, all the more power to you. At least we know who to look out for and who’s comments to ignore completely in the future.

By: odessa steps magazine

odessa steps magazine — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:54:48 +0000

I think there are probably more controversies caused by Tom’s wacky descriptive adjectives.

By: Don MacPherson

Don MacPherson — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:01:39 +0000

People who read only headlines and think that’s enough to judge the content of an entire article/column are lazy. They should be given full opportunity to demonstrate their laziness and/or ignorance for all to see.

So no, Johanna, don’t change your headlines.

By: David Wynne

David Wynne — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:32:46 +0000

(oh and here’s the footnote I forgot in my previous comment)
*I’m very sorry about this word. I try to use a different stupid term for the online fan/critic community every time if I can, because I’m desperately hoping that eventually I’ll come up with something less horrific than the disturbingly ubiquitopus “blogosphere”. I don’t think bogogeography is it, though…

By: David Wynne

David Wynne — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:30:00 +0000

I think Ed may have hit the nail on the head- it’s not so much that there’s something wrong with your headlines, really- they do what a headline is generally meant to do, boil the story down to the most interesting and important element(s)- but that because you’re a well known and respected part of the blogogeography*, a LOT of people are likely to see those headlines, a LOT of people will link to those pieces, and a LOT of the people clicking those links will only read the headline, and skim or even not bother with the rest of the article, before expressing their loud and outraged reaction (to what they’ve inferred from the headline) on their own blog or wherever.

So, drama probably could be avoided if you head no headlines, but that’s not your fault, and it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with those headlines.

Does that make any sense at all? I’ve only just got out of bed.

By: Lea Hernandez

Lea Hernandez — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:15:39 +0000

If the Presidental campaign had gone on any longer, you’d have been called out as “Jo(hanna) the (Drama) Drummer!”

By: James Schee

James Schee — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:46:08 +0000

Yes, they are very dangerous! I nearly lost a computer when I spit out my soda while reading one once. (luckily I missed the computer)

So watch out for them!! :)

By: Ed Sizemore

Ed Sizemore — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:24:16 +0000

Of course, a positive slant on this is that Leigh thinks your website is so important you can direct the flow of most internet discusion. Not internet comic discussion, but internet discussions in general. So the tagline for your website should be, “Shaping the flow of conversation on the information super highway.”

By: Vincent Murphy

Vincent Murphy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:14:15 +0000

I don’t know, I nearly went ballistic when a read the following headline:

“Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs Book 11″

I mean COME ON! That’s just begging for controversy.