1. Creating Theme Copy
that Truly Has Voice
Lizabeth A. Walsh, MJE

2. Theme copy attributes
Just like regular writing, theme copy has traits
Voice
Organization
Ideas
Conventions

3. Voice (the tone or attitude)
 Clear
 Tied to the words of the theme
 Connected to the design of the book

4. Organization
 Thoughts need to flow logically from one
to the next
 Transitions are important
 Introduction, body, conclusion
Opening, divisions, closing

5. Ideas
 What is important enough to go in here?
 Where do we find ideas for theme-related
copy?
 Should someone be quoted? If so, who?
 Remember to be concise.
 Don’t use three words if two will do.

6. Conventions
 AP style still rules the roost.
 Punctuation, spelling, grammar- even more
important when copy is in larger type and
mistakes are easier to see.
 Pick a person* and stick to it. (*see voice)
 1st person- I, me, my, mine, we, our, ours
 2nd person- you, your, yours, you’re
 3rd person- students, people, he, she, it, his, hers,
him, her, they, them, their, theirs, they’re

8. Note graphic
elements
on cover
Exterior case
blocks part of
message and alters
its meaning
Suffix “less” alters
meaning
Handwritten font
Deconstructed
bold all-caps type

13. Note graphic
elements
on cover
Reversed type with
textured font
Orange & red
blocks of color
Tiled photos
depicting spirited
students
Sans serif, all cap
type
Angled, pattern lines

18. How to get there…
Theme should be specific to your
school, your year, and your students.
Use a thesaurus & an idiom dictionary
Play with (sort) words and phrases
Some will be for sidebars, others for theme, a few for both
Brainstorm actual copy using those
words and phrases that that stood out as
“most important concepts.”

19. Practice
 Theme: It’s About Time
 Thesaurus http://thesaurus.com
 Idiom Dictionary (print versions work best)
 Short list of Outstanding Concepts
 Create five sentences of theme copy

22. More
Theme Copy Examples

30. All materials presented…
Remain the property and copyright of the various
owners of the original works.
These yearbook samples were presented at
BALFOUR workshops for the benefit of their
clients and customers.
Please do not alter these presentations.
Use of these shows is intended only for individual
adviser-to-staff classroom teaching, not for
publication or reproduction in any form for any
type of presentation at a conference, camp,
convention, or gathering of multiple schools’ staffs.