Writing Great Content for Your Press Release

***This is the third article in a series covering the elements of effective public relations.

When determining what content to include in your release, remember that you are conveying news associated with you and your book. Your headline should powerfully and immediately announce that news:

"Food for Thought Author Discusses Controversial Animal Rights Issues at Upcoming Seminar"

"'Holiday in the Park' Festival to Include Book Signing by Local Author"

"Money in Your Pocket Author Gene Willard Takes Financial Advice Online"

"Local Fitness Author Encourages City Workers to Be Big-Time Losers"

Your headline's goal is to catch the reporter's eye and draw it down to your opening paragraph. It should give the reader an accurate heads-up about content, but it's a taste of the news to come, not the whole story.

Your first paragraph should concisely state the important facts of your press release. Who and what the release is about, when and where the associated event took place (is taking place or will take place), and why the event is worth knowing about or participating in. Be sure to describe your book in this first important paragraph of text.

The next few paragraphs should offer important ideas and information that expand upon those basic details. The final paragraph of the news release should include a brief author bio and, if appropriate, information about the book’s publisher or distributor. Remember that your press release will be used to generate news, but it won't necessarily be reprinted word for word.

Remember, that each press release is relating news about a single event associated with you and your book. Keep the content of the release focused and concise, and offer some information that's truly useful for the media outlet you’re contacting. Here are some other important tips for writing great press releases:

• Remember that you're writing for editors, so be clear, concise, and accurate. Check spelling, dates, and details carefully.
• Include your book's Web site address along with other contact information for arranging interviews or requesting review copies.
• Don't use boxes, pictures, or other graphic elements in the document; these things tie up fax machines and consume ink, which will irk many editors. Overly "designed" documents will also look like ads, and might be tossed out without a further glance.
• Don't include pricing or ordering information; your press release cannot be worded as a solicitation piece (you'll read more about this later).
• Don't embellish your piece with overblown hype and worn clichés such as "a must read" or "soon-to-be-bestseller."
• Don’t bill your release as groundbreaking news unless it is groundbreaking.

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***Adapted from Your Voice in Demand: The AuthorHouse Guide to Marketing and Promoting Your Book (AuthorHouse, 2005)