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A press
release should be viewed as an thrilling news story,
written in third person, that seeks to generate
excitement about your book or book event. Your
press release should be able to do the following:
-
Separate real
news about your book or book event from
promotional exaggerations.
-
Deliver a
poignant story angle that will be of real interest
to readers.
-
Deliver this
angle in a professional, courteous way.
Break the press
release down into parts to make it easier to
develop.
Press Release Headline
This has to be
something that grabs the readers attention.
Don't start your press release with a dull headline
like "Release of New Book". Hit the readers up
with a great line that tells a bit about your book
like "Healthy
Eating that Kids Respond To". Have the headline help to craft
the story that will be your press release. Take your
natural inclination to sell, sell, sell out of it.
Look at the story you tell with a cold, objective
eye.
The Press Release Introduction
Introductions that can also be
used as sub-headings are remarkably useful tools,
yet usually overlooked by press release writers.
Basically, the press release subhead gives you the
opportunity to flesh out your angle and further hook
the reader, without stepping on the drama of the
press release headline.
Example:
Healthy Eating that Kids Respond To
A superhero kids will love
because even they can become him and parents
will love him for the way he teaches children
great lesson. |
The Press Release Lead
The lead paragraph includes
the who, what, when, where and how of the story. If
the reader were only to read the lead of a good
press release, they would have everything necessary
to get a good idea of the story, and would be
compelled to continue on.
The balance of the press release serves to back up
whatever claims were made in the lead and headline. Use enough supporting
material to make your case, and to demonstrate that,
whatever angle you're promoting, it wasn't something
you slapped together carelessly.
Last Paragraph - This is the boilerplate portion
of the press release providing information on the
press release author or book author.
10 Tips for Writing a Great Book Press Releases
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Start with a great headline that
grabs the reader's attention.
-
Tell the audience that the information is intended
for them and why they should continue to read it as
well as read your book.
-
Make sure the information about
your book or book event is newsworthy.
-
Start with a brief description of the
book or your book event, then
distinguish who announced it, and not the other way
around.
-
Ask, "How are people going to relate to
this?"
-
Make sure the first 10 words of your release are
the most effective, as they are the most important.
-
Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy
language.
-
Provide as much contact information as possible:
Individual to contact, address, phone, fax, email,
website address.
-
Make sure you wait until you have something with
enough substance to issue a release.
-
Make it as easy as possible for media
publishers to understand your press release as
they will be the ones helping you to present
your news.
BiblioScribe
Press Releases |
