The following article appears in the new issue of Focus, the BSFA‘s magazine for writers:

How To Write A Press Release
By Gareth L Powell

If you’re serious about selling the books you write, then sooner or later you’re going to have to get some press coverage. Maybe you need to attract people to a book signing you’re holding in Waterstones; maybe you’ve just signed a big publishing deal; or maybe you’re releasing your self-published novel. Whatever your reason, the humble press release is still one of the best ways of attracting an editor’s attention.

What is a Press Release?

A press release is a short information piece that you have prepared and passed to the media in order that a journalist might use it as the basis of an article. Sometimes they may even reproduce the contents of the release verbatim. A good press release should be short. It should fit onto one or two typed pages.

In this article, I will guide you through the essential elements that go to make up a good press release.

1. At The Top

Firstly, start at the top left corner of the page and write “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”. This tells the editor that the story can be published straight away. Alternatively, if you want to delay the story until a specific date, write “FOR RELEASE ON DD/MM/YYYY”, adding in your chosen day, month and year.
Below this, write your contact details: your name, phone number, email address and mobile. Make it as easy as possible for a journalist to get hold of you.

2. Headline

Next comes your headline, typed in bold. Combined with the first paragraph, it is possibly the most important part of the release, because if either fails to catch the editor’s eye, the whole release will be discarded without being read.

The best press release headlines summarise the story. Ideally, they contain everything the editor needs to decide if the stories they describe are worth pursuing. Try to get as much information as possible into the fewest number of words. Think of the publication you’re writing for and try to make it sound like one of their headlines.

For example, if your first novel’s just been accepted by a small publisher, don’t use the title of the book as the title of your release. It won’t mean anything to the editor. Similarly, don’t use you name unless you are one hundred per cent sure the editor (and the readers of the paper) will be familiar with it. Instead try to write something that is descriptive, has a human interest angle, and sums up the main thrust of the story. If you have an offer, such as a free e-book, put the offer in the headline.

I myself have successfully used headlines such as:

• Local Author Thrilled To Sign Twin Book Deals.
• Nine Stories Of Bristol’s Far-Out Future.
• £1m Author To Join Local Fans At City’s First Sci-fi Convention

3. Content

After the headline, the editor will move on to the first paragraph (or “Lead”). This should contain all the relevant information he or she needs to know. It should answer all the traditional questions associated with the story: who, what, why, where, when.

Start the first paragraph directly under the headline. Choose a font that is clear and easy to read, such as Garamond, Times New Roman, or Courier New. Don’t be tempted to use a whacky font to make your release stand out. It won’t work. A release written in Comic Sans or Rockwell Extra Bold is most likely to be tossed in the bin without being read.

Begin the first sentence with the dateline. This usually consists of the place and date the story happens, and is usually written in uppercase. The dateline is followed by a dash, and the remainder of the first sentence. As with the headline, try to fit as much information as possible into the first sentence. For instance:

LONDON, 25/11/2009 – First-time author Lincoln Mendleblat will be signing copies of his new novel DIE ROBOT in the Oxford Street branch of Waterstones this coming Saturday.

Once the first paragraph is written (and it can be as short as that first sentence), the remainder of the release expands upon it, offering concise quotes from the people involved, further background detail, and anything else that is relevant to the story at hand.

Write using active, simple language. Don’t overwrite. Resist the temptation to give your life story. Stick to the matter at hand. Tell the editor exactly what they need to know, and then stop. Keep it straight-forward and informative.

4. End

At the end, don’t forget to tell the reader how they can respond. If you are promoting an event, include the place, time, date, cost and duration of the event. If you are promoting a book, list a few of the main places where the book is available to buy. Mention that interested fans can find out more information on your website, and remember to include the address.

Finally, type the word “ENDS” underneath your last line. This lets the editor know that nothing’s been lost and they have the whole release.

Sending It Out

Whole books have been written on the art of sending out and placing press releases. PR gurus build their careers from knowing how to do it, and I certainly don’t have room here to teach you how to be a PR guru. However, I can offer a few hard-won tips:

• Make a database or spreadsheet containing the contact details of every publication in your field. Create filters so you can target the list by local or national circulation.
• Build up a database of names. Every time you have contact with someone from a publication, make a note of their name, job title, phone number and email address. By doing this, you’ll slowly build up an address book of journalists and editors familiar with you and what you do, which you can use to target follow-up stories.
• If possible, always send your release to an individual, not a generic newsroom address or mailbox. There’s less chance of it getting overlooked if it’s addressed to a specific person.
• Follow the release with a polite phone call, checking whether it has been received and offering further information if required. Don’t pester.
• Always be polite and professional. If you’re annoying, you won’t get written about – certainly not in favourable terms. And who knows, the journalist you’re talking to today might be editing the paper in a couple of years, so it pays to make a good impression.

Tags: Advice • BSFA • Focus • How To • Marketing • PR • press release • Tips For Writers