2.9 KiB
2.9 KiB
Title Formulas Reference
8 hook formulas + straightforward style for balanced title generation.
Hook Formulas
| # | Formula | Characteristics | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Subversive | Deny common belief, create cognitive conflict | "All de-AI-flavor prompts are wrong" |
| 2 | Solution | Give the answer directly, promise concrete value | "One recipe to make AI write in your voice" |
| 3 | Suspense | Reveal half, spark a curiosity gap | "It took me six months to find how to remove AI flavor" |
| 4 | Concrete Number | Use specific numbers for credibility and impact | "150 lines of docs taught AI my writing style" |
| 5 | Contrast | Small cause → big result, or expectation vs reality | "One doc replaced three months of AI tuning" |
| 6 | Result First | Lead with a surprising outcome, hook reader to find out why | "After using this method, nobody could tell it was AI" |
| 7 | Rhetorical Question | Ask a question that creates an unfinished feeling | "Why can people spot your AI writing at a glance?" |
| 8 | Empathy | Touch pain points, trigger shared frustration or relief | "Three months fighting AI flavor — I finally broke free" |
When to pick each formula
| Formula | Best for |
|---|---|
| Subversive | Articles that challenge mainstream advice or debunk myths |
| Solution | How-to guides, tutorials, actionable advice pieces |
| Suspense | Personal stories, case studies, journey narratives |
| Concrete Number | Data-driven articles, benchmarks, step-by-step guides |
| Contrast | Before/after stories, unexpected discoveries, comparisons |
| Result First | Success stories, transformation pieces, "I tried X" articles |
| Rhetorical Question | Problem-awareness pieces, diagnostic/explainer content |
| Empathy | Struggle narratives, community pain points, relatable experiences |
Straightforward Style
Not every title needs a hook. Straightforward titles work well as alternatives:
- Descriptive: clearly state the topic and scope
- Declarative: state the main conclusion or thesis directly
These provide balance — readers who prefer clarity over curiosity will appreciate them.
Title Principles
- Hook in first 5 characters: create information gap or cognitive conflict
- Specific > abstract: "150 lines" beats "a document"
- Negation > affirmation: "you're doing it wrong" beats "the right way"
- Conversational: like chatting with a friend, not an academic paper
- Max ~30 characters: longer titles get truncated in feeds
- Accurate, not clickbait: the article must deliver what the title promises — titles can be bold but the content must back them up
Prohibited Patterns
- Vague academic-style: "On XX", "Thoughts on XX", "Exploration and Practice of XX"
- Pure shock bait: "Shocking!", "10,000-word essay", "Must bookmark"
- Directionless questions: "Where is the future of AI writing?"