A little while ago I was asked by someone how to write a press release. It’s a sensible question because if you’ve never done it before why would you know how?
It’s not rocket science and over the years I’ve developed the very simple formula below. As I’d taken the trouble to type it up I thought I should pass it on.
Press work is not just issuing press releases of course and if you’d like to read more the 100% unbeatable guide to activists and the media is George Monbiot’s, although it was written a while ago so it’s probably quite out of date on using the internet.
Remember, don’t try to be clever, don’t tease the journalist, just tell them the facts and the closer your release looks like a finished article for the publication you’re pitching to the more likely it is that they’ll cut and paste it in.
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Press release from [organisation]
[date] [embargo date if any (which means they won’t publish the story before the deadline)]
Title [six words or less that states exactly what the release is about. The headline you want for the story – not a funny pun]
Subtitle [optional] [can be longer and gives bit more info]
First para [all of the story and all the main info, not a pre-amble]
Second para onwards [content]
Quotes [from one or two people that can are designed to be lifted directly into articles]
Notes for journalists [useful links, things we offer, phone number for contact]
Try to keep it to one side.