March 9, 2007, Newsletter Issue #232: News release: Well-written Presentation

Tip of the Week

Well-written Presentation
How you present a story is as important as the creativity of the angle. People who make their living writing and editing appreciate concise, clear and grammatically correct material, and reject sloppy, unclear, verbose presentations. Always spell check your work, and have someone else proofread your material to make sure it´s clear and making the point you want it to make. Invest in an Associated Press Stylebook.
If you read newspapers and watch TV, you already know how to structure your release. The lead or first line should summarize the story. The first paragraph should include the most important information, especially dates, times and places for performances. All information after that should appear in descending order of importance. This structure is often referred to as the inverted pyramid. General organizational information should be included at the end. The whole thing should be 1-1/2 to 2 pages, and double-spaced. Long lists should be relegated to an attachment or fact sheet in the press kit.
What about press kits? They´re very valuable conveyors of background information. Keep them simple and save your slick graphics and fancy letterhead for other audiences. Send press kits out with each pitch letter or story idea. If you can´t afford to do that, send the kit to news media after you´ve talked with editors and surmised their interest in delving deeper into your story.

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