Writing Effective News Releases 2nd Edition

Today's journalists are struggling to cover more with fewer resources, which means there are great opportunities for those who can make a timely pitch in the right way. In this guide for first-time press release writers and public relations professionals alike, Steven Lewis breaks down the press release transaction, showing you how to write a press release that will get attention. As a journalist or publications like the "Financial Times" and "Esquire," Steven Lewis received thousands of press releases. As a consultant to global corporations, he has written press releases that led to media coverage around the world. "How to Write Perfect Press Releases" puts all that experience in your hands and shows you how to do the same.

A well-written press release can help your business achieve several objectives: - it can generate internet publicity - it can define your message and defend your brand - it can get links with high-ranking websites - it can make your content indexable by major search engines - it can make your message available to news outlets and thousands of RSS recipients Although it can seem daunting, there is no reason that any business owner cannot take advantage of the nearly free publicity offered by press releases by easily writing and submitting one within a single day. (And, once you discover it's effectiveness, you will likely begin distributing press releases on a regular basis.) Updating the 2010 edition, this guide features detailed information on how to write a press release; ten sample templates that you can use to get started quickly; and a current listing of the most popular free press release services.

Every day, newspapers and magazines are deluged with thousands of press releases. Which stories make an editor sit up and take notice? Why do some press releases never get used? This book takes the reader through every stage of the process, from conceiving the story idea, researching information and writing the release, to distributing by the most effective means. Case studies and examples are included.

Straightforward, practical, and focused on realistic examples, Business and Professional Writing: A Basic Guide is an introduction to the fundamentals of professional writing. The book emphasizes clarity, conciseness, and plain language. Guidelines and templates for business correspondence, formal and informal reports, brochures and press releases, and oral presentations are included. Exercises guide readers through the process of creating and revising each genre, and helpful tips, reminders, and suggested resources beyond the book are provided throughout. The second edition includes new sections on information security and ethics in business writing. New formal proposal examples have been added, and the text has been updated throughout.

Who done it?: an introduction; Getting started; Two dozen ways to begin: their advantages and disadvantages; Effective organizing; Easy outlining; Fallacies to forget: misconceptions and misinterpretations; Brevity: the soul of it; The standard of grammar for the professions; The standard of diction for the professions; Style: the personality and character of writing; Style and diction; Style and sentences; Style and paragraphs; Writing memorandums, letters, instructions, and other short forms; The editor and supervisor and the future editor and supervisor.

"Deserves to be on every journalism student's reading list and every tutor's book shelf. It is clear, straightforward and scholarly in a very accessible way... bursting with good advice and insight which should benefit all who all read it." - Kate Jenner, School of Journalism and Digital Communication, University of Central Lancashire "A first-class no-nonsense guide to news writing... Anna McKane's wealth of experience both as a journalist and a lecturer in journalism gives News Writing the edge over similar tomes." - Kate Shanahan, Lecturer in Journalism, School of Media, Dublin Institute of Technology The ability to hone and craft an eye-catching news story is fundamental to good journalism. It is an essential skill that the young journalist of today must carry with them. The growth of online journalism and the use of social media has meant that the skills required in news writing are evolving, opening up fresh challenges and exciting new possibilities. Anna McKane's News Writing takes you step-by-step through the key aspects of writing news on both print and online platforms, equipping you with all that you need to become an articulate, accurate and engaging journalist. Crucially, the book will show you how to: * create an attention-grabbing intro or first paragraph * structure the content of your story effectively * use the appropriate language. Fully updated to account for the role of online journalism, this second edition guides you through the essentials of website presentation, from headlines and standfirsts to the use of smartphone images and links. An all-new chapter shows you how to use Twitter and online blogs to piece together a winning story, and up-to-date examples and exercises throughout encourage you to pick apart and analyse the techniques used in a variety of recent news stories across a range of platforms. This is the essential workbook to take you through your studies in Journalism and News Writing.