Writing Press Releases - Getting it right
- Posted by Essays Blog in Essays Blog |
- November 13th, 2009 |
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A good news release consists of a abbreviated introduction. Journalists call this an ‘intro’. This should come perhaps no more than 25 words. Bear in mind that your matter needs to answer the ‘six salient questions’: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How? Your intro will cover most but not necessarily all of them. Keep your article abbreviated and simple (Kiss). Remember, news is something new and different (accompany Galtung and Ruge, ‘News Values’ in Wikipedia).
The 2nd condemn or ‘lock-in’ builds on the news in the intro. By paragraph III you will probably consume the best or ‘killer’ quote from the main author for your account. Always attribute a quote to individual.
1. A news item should be in a readable font filler, unremarkably 12 point Arial or Times Roman and double-spaced.
2. The article should be given a single keyword to identify it. This is called a ‘catchline’. For example, an article about a poisonous ophidian conveyed, undiscovered in the post, might be catchlined “snake” and each page of the news release so numbered Ophidian…1, Snake…2 etc. This information is placed in the apical right-hand corner of every page.
Do not consume: 1. A subject’s name, i.e. Blair, because, if they are famous, thither could be lots of stories about them in one day, or the name could be confused for that of a fellow journalist. Or, a morpheme so general, like health, that thither might be many stories on the case similarly catchlined. A good catchline will ensure that every page of your news release can be easily identified in a busy media office.
3. The by-line, the journalist’s first name and cognomen, should appear at the apical left of the page.
4. Between the byline and catchline should be placed the date on which the article was written. This information helps the editor to judge whether an update will be necessary, especially if the article is a time-sensitive news account.
5. Your matter should have a simple headine of perhaps no more than III words above the intro, telling the reader what the article is about. Attempt not to attempt a catchy tabloid-style headline. Sub-editors jealously guard their job as the headline writer.
6. At the bottom of each page, to tell the reader that thither is more copy to come, put MORE FOLLOWS, More or just MF (centred).
7. To tell the editor that the article is complete put the morpheme End or ENDS on the last page.
8. Don’t forget to include your full contact details on the first or last page.
Importance of Presentation
Proofread, proofread and proofread. Check the spelling; don’t rely alone on charm check. Thither are any words that are spelled correctly that are not the morpheme you meant to put in the condemn.
Check the grammar. Again, the morpheme processor’s grammar checker is good to a point, Consume the morpheme processing code as your helper but remember that you are the final judge of accuracy. For each news release draft, no matter how bantam, create a morpheme processing document, name and economise it on a disk, memory adhere or on the hard drive so you can easily get back thereto later. Keep a printed ‘hard copy’ in a safe place.
Writing communication and completeness
You are expected to compose clearly and concisely - exploitation complete sentences that flow logically from cerebration to cerebration.
Assume that your reader has not read the materials on which you are reporting. Explain the issue to your reader as if she or he knows absolutely nothing about the case. Don’t assume that your reader has an apprehension of jargon or language or that he or she knows about the products, services or personnel of the organisation for which you activity.
Sources
Since you are not necessarily an expert on the case about which you are writing, it is essential that you author the information provided. Even if you are just exploitation facts from a document or webs computer, cite the paper, book or internet author. This will give your writing credibility and authority. If you don’t author, it will look like you’re trying to claim the information as your own creation. You don’t deprivation to be accused of plagiarism.
Be objective.
Attempt not to consume “the first person” (I or we). Carefully put unitedly an outline before you begin writing.
Bullets and abbreviated paragraphs
Break the material into abbreviated paragraphs; exploitation bullet points if necessary. Even with bullet points, consume complete sentences and be meticulous with grammar and punctuation. Don’t rely on the computer to correct all your errors. If you consume bullet statements, be consistent.
In many cases, the best consume of bullet points is to make each evidence a complete condemn with a capital letter at the beginning and a full act at the end.
In any cases, however, you may deprivation to consume a “lead-in” condemn opener. Make each bullet evidence complete the condemn from the lead-in opener. And be consistent.
When exploitation bullet statements, it is unremarkably best to single area inside the bulleted statements and double area before and after the statements begin.
Consume Positive Chant
Compose in a positive and lay-person’s communication. Your objective should be not to unnecessarily offend anyone who might potentially read what you have written on behalf of your organisation. Piece every issue you compose about won’t necessarily be completely offbeat and enthusiastic, each can achieve a proactive note.
Be conversational
Make your writing channel conversational. Mind to avoid superficial conventional, buckram, or awkward. Don’t consume argot or inappropriate language. Connect with the reader in the same conversational communication that you would if you were in the same room with him or her having a conversation. So, don’t consume jargon.
Accept time
To achieve the best, most positive chant for your news release; you must accept your time when writing. You can’t be in a big hurry. This is particularly important as you develop your writing skills early on.
Proofread again to attack typographical and formatting errors. Read the matter out loud to make careful it sounds right.
Consume your own words
Please do not get in the habit of reading printed matter and online information and just doing a “copy and paste” into your news release.
The highest form of booming writing is learning from what you’ve read, summarising it in your own words and reporting what you’ve learned. Practice. It is real important that you develop your own communication of writing. When you consume individual else’s words, it sounds like individual else wrote it.
Put the full name and phone number (including out of hours mobile) in the contact details at the end of the news release. Additional factual information can be provided in a Note to Editors after the contact details.
This might include biographical facts and a abbreviated chronology of relevant events. For ideas about news releases, have a look at examples of them on the websites of local councils and the government news network (.gnn.gov.uk)