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PR Leads Publicity Articles
Making Your Press Copy Trim and Sleek
By Dan Janal
Your Fearless PR Leader
PR Leads
www.prleads.com
Many public relations writers' materials such as press releases, pitch letters, proposals, biographies, feature articles, and newsletter articles, etc. have become victims of wordiness, otherwise known as the fat on your copy's bones. How do you cut the fat for a better sizzle?
1) Understand why wordiness happens in the first place:
- The writer wants to sound sophisticated or formal
- The writer is nervous or unsure about the clarity of the message
- The writer has not reviewed the work for redundancies
- The writer becomes attached to particular phrases
- The writer has added padding to make the work appear impressive or substantial
2) Crunch the extra padding: Editors, reporters and producers receive hundreds of emails and faxes each day. Although, your press release may be newsworthy, if it is too long, there is a good chance it may never be read by key media constituents. Journalists love when a public relations practitioner provides them with brief, concise and accurate information to report on.
As you read through your work, mentally eliminate words and phrases. If the piece reads well without the extra language, delete the surplus or rephrase your writing.
3) Keep your focus tight: If you are community organization writing about senior services, then concentrate on senior services. It may be tempting to add your latest achievements or your entire range of products and services. However, if it does not support the theme, resist.
4) Cut Back on Modifiers: Although modifiers are an essential part of the English language, relying on them to put vigor in your company or organization's messages result in weaker text. Strong nouns and verbs in many cases can be more effective than adjectives and adverbs. A few extra words in a sentence may seem like it's not a big deal, but when most of the sentences contain the extra fat, it can slow the pace of your writing and bury your company or organizations important messages. Journalists should not have to search your text to find substance. Cut through the excess for sleek text that captures and maintains attention, interest and enthusiasm.
This article can be reprinted if the following information is printed:
By Daniel Janal, dan@prleads.com, http://www.prleads.com
PR Leads founder Daniel Janal is the author of numerous books, including "Dan Janal’s Guide to Marketing on the Internet.”
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