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There are a lot of bad headlines out there and a lot of good ones, too. But it’s the goodies that grab reporters when you’re pitching a story. Write a ho-hum headline on a news release or in a subject line and you’re sure to get a Zzzzzzzzz response.

Headline writing tip No. 1: Don’t write the headline until you’ve written the story. Often, you’ll come up with a great one during the creative process. Or it may hit you like a ton of bricks just as you’re falling asleep the night before your big pitch.

Headline writing tip No. 2: Consider your words carefully. Using words and phrases with double meanings can be clever or easily misinterpreted, so choose them wisely. A couple examples:

Headline: Farmer Bill Dies in House

The story: A proposed law has failed to survive the legislative process in the house.

Alternative interpretation: A farmer named Bill died.

Headline: School jumpstarts class that puts students in the driver’s seat

The story: a small, rural school resurrects its driver’s education program

Alternative interpretation: None. This headline was an award-winner.