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March 16, 2007, Newsletter Issue #233: News release: Style
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Tip of the Week
Use proper style in your news release:
Double-space your copy for legibility. Feature the most important news up front; put additional news in descending order of importance. Use an average of two to three sentences per paragraph. Include the contact person's name, telephone/fax, and E-mail (if appropriate). Don't Single-space your copy (it's hard to read). Use ALL CAPS only in the main headline. Make sure your sentences do not run on and on—and avoid page-long paragraphs. (Keep it short and sweet). Always run Spell Check on your copy, and have at least one other person review the news release for clarity, factual accuracy, grammar and correct word usage (for example, the words their, there, and they're are commonly mistaken for each other). Read newspapers and magazines and pay particular attention to writing style. Buy an AP (Associated Press) Style Book for reference. Your news releases should have a local angle, the more localized the better. Most news release writers don't do the additional work that localization requires, and consequently they don't get local coverage. Newspapers and many magazines focus on hometown or regional activities. If you want targeted coverage, you must make a concerted effort to get it. Quote a local spokesperson whenever possible.
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