Okay, so you’re a writer and you told your friends – and now
you’ve been “volunteered” to handle the church/club/PTA/firehouse/neighborhood
association’s publicity. Or just maybe you’ve managed to avoid the nomination
to publicize someone else’s accomplishments, but you still need to publicize
your latest book.
Sending press releases and notice of events and plaudits is a
terrific way to get the word out, pull in an audience or readers, and interest
reporters in your story. But not everyone is going to look forward to receiving
your press release or be able to use it. Take the time now to put together a
targeted list of recipients who will both be interested in your information and
who will be worth your time to contact.
Medium to larger publications will usually have specific
departments to handle information. USA Today, for example, has the following: News,
Sports, Life, Money, Tech, Travel, Opinion, Weather, Games, Scores, Stocks, and
Video. Not every department will welcome information and those that do often
have a specific point person to submit to. Sometimes there are very specific
submission instructions which might include an online form.
Familiarize yourself with who and how you will contact with
your press releases. Make a list of publications and departments that will be
interested in your subject. Even though some of your info might be appropriate
for one editor doesn’t mean that all of your releases should be sent to her –
if you are sending out releases for the PTA about academic scholarship
recipients those might be directed to an Education or Life department, but the
news about the school’s regional winning streak might be better received by the
Sports editor. Be prepared to continuously update your list to both verify the
existing information and to add new contacts – don’t keep your list local-only
if you might have information that would be of interest to a larger region.
Get to know your media contacts and familiarize yourself with
submission procedures. Make a target list and include the subject matter each
source will read and hopefully use. When you are submitting a press release,
include pertinent and complete information. The easier you make it for a
reporter or editor to include your information, the easier it will be for one
to use it as last minute filler giving you more exposure. It’s alright to
include online links however do not rely on those links; clicking on them is
extra work for the reporter and a sure way to be put on the side. Make the information
in your release interesting and relevant; a blanket release is not a
fit-for-all. Use a catchy but accurate title; sub-headings are okay but keep
them brief.
The basic format for a press-release is as follows: your heading
must GRAB the reader; include a release date that it is OKAY for the paper to
send the info out to the public along with media only contact info for
verification purposes; the first paragraph will include all of the pertinent
information (the 5 Ws: who, what, when, why, where); the next paragraph should
give brief but noted background info about the company/person/event; the last
paragraph is typically called the Call-to-Action where you tell the reader what
you want to happen such as Call for more information, Buy tickets at, etc.;
finally include contact information for the public. It is okay to use
personalized stationary so long as the paper is business-like, professional and
an easy to read background. Keep the release to one page and end it with a symbol
such as -###- or -30- to show the recipient it is the END.
Writing
Exercise: Write a mini-scene where your
main character unexpectedly meets someone significant from their past. Are they
friendly to each other, open and sharing, if something needs to be apologized
for is it & is it forgiven? What would be a comfortable public setting for
them to “catch up” with each other?
Writing
Prompt: Make a list of ten of your
favorite foods (it can be a full meal, an appetizer, a snack, a beverage, etc).
Next to each food write what memories or emotions are evoked by eating/drinking
this food?
Challenge:
Decide on a common theme subject for a
blog. Make a list of 16 or more blog titles; include a 2-3 sentence description
for each title about the subject matter of the blog.
