don’t orphan headers


 

Don’t Orphan Headers

 

Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.

― John F. Kennedy

 

Each header should have at least one paragraph after it.

 

There’s nothing sadder than an orphaned header. So alone and naked, clearly abandoned by its writing parent and left to fend for itself. For example:

I.               Different Types of Hot Dogs

A.       The Icelandic Hot Dog

Is there a better dog than the Icelandic hot dog? Made with lamb; striped with ketchup, pylsusinnep (a sweet brown mustard), and a remoulade of mayo, mustard, capers, and herbs; and liberally doused with fried and fresh onions—they are hard to beat.   

The header Different Types of Hot Dogs is immediately followed by the sub header The Icelandic Hot Dog leaving Different Types of Hot Dogs orphaned. That leaves the text sloppily unfinished and misses a great opportunity to introduce the new section. This is much better as:

I.               Different Types of Hot Dogs

Although the modern-day hot dog was (likely) invented in the Midwest of the United States, each country that has adopted tubular meat in a bun has provided their own spin to the meal. Here I discuss some of my favorite hot dogs from places other than domestic ballparks.

A.    The Icelandic Hot Dog

Is there a better dog than the Icelandic hot dog? Made with lamb; striped with ketchup, pylsusinnep (a sweet brown mustard), and a remoulade of mayo, mustard, capers, and herbs; and liberally doused with fried and fresh onions—they are hard to beat.

 

copyright Robert E. Mace 2025

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