How to Spell Better: Three Principles
Being a good writer does not automatically make one a good speller. And since the English language includes exceptions and special cases for practically every spelling principle, you’ll very likely one day find yourself looking at a word that you’ve written thinking, “Is that right?”
Don’t resign yourself to simply being at the mercy of your spell checker. Instead, take this brief refresher on three basic spelling principles so you can better identify potential spelling problems while editing your work.
Principle One: ‘I” Before “E” Except After “C” (or When It Doesn’t Sound Like “Me”)
The first part of this rule is one of the best known English spelling principles and will help you spell words like “achieve,” “fiend” and “thief” as well as “receive” and “receipt.”
The second part applies to words that have the “i” and “e” placed together, but do not have the vowel sound that you hear in the word “me.”
In the absence of that sound, use the “ei” combination, in order to accurately spell words such as “neighbor,” “weigh,” “beige,” “height,” and “foreign.”
Exceptions: A few words don’t follow any part of this first rule. For example, “seize” and “sheik” have the same vowel sound as “me” but they still use an “ei” combination.
On the other hand, “friends” and “mischief” do not have the vowel sound, but use an “ie” combination as if they did.
Memorize these four words below as the “tricky ones.” Other than those four, the words you encounter adhere to the stated EI/IE principle.
Seize
Sheik
Friends
Mischief
Principle Two: Adding Suffixes to Words with a Silent Final “E”
An affix (one or more sounds or letters) that are attached the end of a word, base, or phrase. Examples include “-less,” “-ly” “-ment” and “-ing.”
If the suffix begins with a vowel, you should drop the final “-e” in a root word unless the result would lead to confusion.
For example, “age” becomes “aging” and “fame” becomes “famous.” However, “be” becomes “being” because deleting the final “e” in this case would result in “bing”.
If the suffix begins with a consonant, keep that final “e.”
Example: “manage” becomes “management.”
Exceptions: The following are examples of exceptions to this principle:
argue – argument
mile – mileage
nine – ninth
true – truly
whole – wholly
In addition, you have the option of keeping or deleting the “e” with the words “judgment/judgement” and “likeable/likable.” However, the AP stylebook states its preference is for “judgment” and “likable.” Check whether the publications that you target have a specific preference.
Principle Three: Doubling a Final Consonant Before a Suffix
This principle is applied when three circumstances are met:
1. The suffix begins with a vowel
2. The root word places emphasis on the last syllable or has only one syllable
3. The consonant is preceded by a single vowel
Examples: drag (one syllable) – dragging
begin (last syllable emphasized) – beginning
Spelling Beyond These Three Principles
If particular words consistently give you trouble, try creating a sheet of the words that you frequently misspell so that you can easily check for errors as you’re writing as well as review the entire list from time to time.
If you suspect that your spelling skills need a more general overhaul, use the spelling exercises at the Online Writing Lab (OWL) in order to pinpoint areas of trouble.
Finally, when in doubt, check a dictionary, including online versions such as dictionary.com and merriam-webster.com. That’s the sign of a conscientious writer.
Five Building Blocks for the Backgrounder
As its name implies, a backgrounder is a document that provides the reader with background information on an organization, place, product or issue. You can use it in the following ways:
- An accompaniment to press releases or pitch letters
- A component of media kits and online press rooms
- A source of material for speeches, articles or other promotional materials
In short, with this document, communication professionals can keep their press releases and other materials short and focused instead of obscuring their message with “backstory.”
You can easily find more information about the backgrounder’s purpose and the general principles for its creation (e.g., accurate research), so we’ll examine the basic building blocks. The backgrounder consists of several elements, the first usually being a summary of the topic. The remaining components are arranged in the order that best suits the particular backgrounder. A paragraph may be devoted to one particular element or consist of a combination of multiple elements.
Let’s look at five basic elements:
1. First Paragraph/Summary
As mentioned, the backgrounder begins with an overview of the document’s subject. Example:
“XYZ Corporation, in Baltimore, MD, is one of the world’s largest widget makers, with sales in the past fiscal year exceeding $56 billion.”
2. Scope
If you’re writing about an issue or nonprofit, you’ll describe the geographical and/or demographic range of its impact. Example:
“Wild birds may carry H5N1 from one area to another through the process of migration. However, the conditions in the production environment, on farms and in rice paddy fields play a major role in subsequent secondary spread of the disease, as do the carrying of poultry from one point to another and live bird markets.”
(Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Avian Flu backgrounder)
If you’re writing about a business, you’d describe its product line or services. Example:
“XYZ’s gaming widgets, smartphone doo-hickeys and audio-visual equipment are distributed worldwide. Its products are marketed under the brand names WidgetPro, Tele-Widgets and WidgetTech, respectively.
3. Mission/Philosophy/Organizational Process
Here, you’d include your organization’s objectives, areas of focus and possibly its overall way of operating. Example:
“Leading the widget market through innovation is XYZ’s founding principle, and the company devoted more than $3 million to research and development during the last fiscal year. The XYZ approach is to observe how people use its products in the ‘real world,’ collect direct feedback from users through focus groups and regional conferences, and use that knowledge as the basis for product improvement.”
4. History
This component describes the subject’s origins and/or major milestones. It’s typically written in one paragraph, but the avian flu backgrounder I cited earlier provides the disease’s history over approximately three paragraphs (you can do that with a Web page). However, it can be condensed for our purposes:
“…in the last 10 years there has been a progressive increase in the number of outbreaks of avian flu in poultry compared with the previous 40 years… The human health implications of avian flu were revealed in 1997 during outbreaks in Hong Kong. …Since then, there have been other episodes with human deaths – in Hong Kong and in the Netherlands in 2003, and the current series of outbreaks in Asia …”
For an organization, you might use something like this:
“Founded in 1945 by John Doe under the name ZYX Co., the company received its first patent for widget design in 1947. The organization’s name was changed to XYZ Corp in 1980 and it now has nearly 12,000 employees and 60 manufacturing plants around the world.”
5. Conclusion
The final paragraph usually provides information such as the geographic location of offices and factories.
You can add any other information you consider relevant to your backgrounder. However, remember that if printed, the document should be only one page, so it’s best to include (and condense) only the most important information. For your easy reference, I found an interesting example of a backgrounder on Scribd and another (lengthy) Web page example from the National Sleep Foundation.
Eight Tips for Tip Sheets
Tip sheets are quick and easy publicity tools that many PR practitioners (myself included) neglect. Just to clarify, since I’ve seen media advisories called tip sheets, I’m talking about fact sheets: short pieces, usually in the form of lists, providing how-to information or key points about an issue/ situation.
Here are some quick tips for tip sheets:
1. Create an attention-grabbing headline. I visited the news wires and found some examples:
Easy ways to Score Big at Your Next Tailgating Party
– Lifetime Products ( via PR Newswire)
How to Keep Your Puppy Safe During The Holidays
- Purebred Breeders (via Business Wire)
5 Signs That Fraud is Hurting Your Sales
– Cybersource Corporation (via PR Newswire)
These headlines all speak to readers’ self-interest and address them directly with an offer of information.
2. Decide whether you need an introduction. Some experts advise plunging straight into the tips, but you may need to provide context e.g., attribute the tips to a report/book or elaborate on particular facts.
3. Send tip sheets to media outlets in press release format. Editors love these ready-made articles and fillers. You can also use this tactic with video news releases (or VRNs) for television.
4. Offer tip sheets directly to your target market. In this case, you’ll send out a press release announcing the tip sheet and/or post appropriate messages on various online lists or forums.
5. Write five or more points/list items, so the tip sheet feels substantial. I’ve seen a tip sheet with 37 listed points, but I wouldn’t recommend you send something that extensive to media outlets. Larger tip sheets are better suited for direct distribution to your prospects and clients.
For media outlets, I think even 15 points can be overwhelming, so aim for a lower number.
6. Promote books, reports, etc. by including excerpts or summarized points in a tip sheet-style release.
7. Use tip sheets as tie-ins to national holidays, special events, etc.
8. If you haven’t identified yourself in an introduction, do so in a final paragraph, which should also contain contact information.
Now start looking for those tip sheet opportunities.
Appropriate Abbreviations: Snipping Words According to Guidelines
The handling of abbreviations can be tricky, especially if you have to use different style guides for different types of writing. Some guidelines only permit abbreviations in tables or reference sections. Other guidelines are more lenient but their requirements can still differ in significant ways. Here are pointers about a few of those differences. I’ll use three stylebooks for examples.
Abbreviations for Professional Titles
Stylebooks often disagree on when to abbreviate certain professional or political titles. For example, the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) states that certain titles such as “Senator” should be spelled out when only the surname will be used but abbreviated before the full name, for example:
Sen. Benjamin Cardin
Senator Cardin
The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook approves using the abbreviated version of “Senator” before one or more names in regular text, but requires that the title be spelled out in a direct quotation:
Sen. John Doe addressed his colleagues.
“Senator John Doe should run for a second term,” stated the analyst.
Yet another stylebook, Words into Type, declares that the title should never be abbreviated except when used in a table.
Abbreviations for Names of Months
With AP style, you only use abbreviated month names when they are being used along with a specific date. Plus, only certain months can be abbreviated: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.
The CMS and Words into Type dictate that month names should always be spelled out in text.
All three stylebooks approve of abbreviating the month names in tabular formats. In such a case, the AP stylebook recommends abbreviations consisting of the first three letters of each month. The CMS and Words into Type follow that same format except for May, June and July, which remain unabbreviated. If space limitations require that even those months be shortened, both stylebooks offer this abbreviating option:
January = Ja
February = F
March = Mr
April = Ap
May = My
June = Je
July = Jl
August = Ag
September = S
October = O
November = N
December = D
Time of Day
AP requires that the common abbreviations for morning and afternoon to be lowercased with periods: a.m. and p.m. The CMS prefers that you use small capitals and the periods are optional. Words into Type prefers small caps with periods and no spaces, but allows for either lowercase or full case (both with periods).
These are just a few of the differences you can encounter when writing abbreviations, so it is always a good idea to check the relevant stylebook for proper usage guidelines. Remember that abbreviations are generally never used in very formal writing, and even when you’re writing in a format that allows you to snip words, avoid letting your copy look like alphabet soup.
Four Principles for Hooking Your Readers
What do articles, query letters, pitch letters, press releases, brochures and basically every form of communication all have in common? They all have to “hook” an audience’s attention before they can impart their message.
I’ve put together four principles along with lists of accompanying tactics that you can use to grab the attention of editors, reporters, prospects, clients or associates.
General Principle #1: The Most Important Information Goes First
- State any relevant new and noteworthy developments or accomplishments.
- Begin with interesting facts and figures. Employ specific figures to build credibility.
- Present an attractive offer such as photo, video or audio opportunities.
- Relate a brief but relevant anecdote, preferably in about one to two short paragraphs.
General Principle #2: Start Communicating in Your Headlines and Subject Lines
(Note: Many of the tactics below can also be used as leads in pitch letters, releases, promotional materials etc.)
- Announce news. This is the simplest, most straightforward method.
- State the greatest benefit of your product/service or promise to solve a problem.
- Announce a free gift, sale, special event, anniversary, etc. This can work for media outlets as long as you include a newsworthy aspect, e.g., a bakery creating a 120-foot jelly roll for Customer Appreciation Day.
- Ask a question. It can be provocative, point out a need or simply elicit a response that helps you segue into your message.
- Command action. You don’t always have to wait until the close to tell people what to do, especially if you know they have an investment in your topic. Commanding headlines and sub-heads have impact and drama. And it’s amazing how many people do as they’re told.
- Announce a list of benefits. Audiences are used to seeing or hearing “Seven reasons…,” or “Three Easy Ways…,” and these formats are still very popular.
- Use a teaser. You hear these every day on TV or radio, e.g. “City schools are raising test scores. We’ll tell you how.” These are great for pitch letters, direct response formats, or as a delayed lead in releases.
- Quote a testimonial or a startling statement. If a recognized source validates you or confirms the issue you’re addressing, you are less like to be dismissed.
General Principle #3: Be Unique
- State your unique selling proposition (USP). If what you’re offering is truly one-of-a-kind, then you’ve got it made. Otherwise, you’ll have to create a difference in your product or service (for example, superior customer service, a great guarantee, or the adoption of a cause).
- Use controversy. In his book, Power Public Relations, PR practitioner Leonard Saffir says controversy can be used by practitioners to generate publicity and awareness. I should point out that this tactic has to be really, really well thought out to be effective.
- Tie products/services into current events. A sub and pizza shop in my neck of the woods used to promote itself with sandwiches named for current (or recent) U.S. presidents. Who is going to forget an invitation to try the “Big Bubba” or “the Big Dubyah”?
- Do something no one else has done. Remember when a Ford ad took over Yahoo’s front page in May? And how about BMW using their own car chase films to promote their cars?
General Principle #4: Get Personal with your Audience
- If you’ve had dealings with the audience/recipient before, remind them. If they invested time and interest in you once, they’ll be more likely to do it again.
- Make people feel as if you know them. If you have the psychographic or demographic characteristics of your targeted groups, tailor your material so it appeals to each specific group.
All told, that’s four principles and a grand total of 18 attention-grabbing techniques. Use them well.
Writing and Using Biographies
Of course, I’m not referring to a book-length biography (aka bio). This is the type that you place in media kits, post on organization websites, etc.
Why go to the trouble of creating a bio? Well, journalists, bloggers and the general public will want to know about the key people in an organization, and a bio is the most efficient way of delivering that information online and in print.
There aren’t very many hard and fast rules for writing the bio. However, there are two main forms, which have been dubbed by the authors of The Public Relations Writer’s Handbook as newspaper style and feature biographies.
Newspaper Style Bios
The newspaper style adheres to a chronological format. You start with an individual’s current position and then move through their relevant past positions in order. This format is not set in stone, but if you happen to have to write a press release about the promotion of the subject of one of your bios then, as the handbook’s authors state, you’ll be able to drop most of the newspaper-style bio into the release verbatim.
In addition to the subjects’ names and current job titles, you’d also place information about the person’s duties and responsibilities and to whom they report in the lead or second paragraph. Here’s a pared-down example:
John Smith became director of client services at XYZ Inc in 1999. He is responsible for overseeing the installation of XYZ’s products and client training.
Smith had been executive sales representative for XYZ since August 1996 and joined the company in June 1989 as a sales representative in March 1989. Before that, he served as a speaker at UVW, where he conducted more than 100 conference presentations, workshops and product demonstrations at state, national and international events.
As you can see from this example, you usually present the individual’s professional history by starting with the position held immediately before the current one and then working backward through time. However, you can also jump to the person’s most interesting position before the current one or educational history, whatever makes the most impact.
Briefly mention or just outright omit positions that are irrelevant to the subject’s current experience or the area of expertise that you are emphasizing.
Also, if you are going to make a claim such as the following, “Under her leadership, ABC Corp. became the third largest company in the industry,” present evidence to that effect. For example, cite a credible third party such as an industry publication or association’s research or state revenue and/or sales figures in a way that confirms your statement.
Information on educational history and awards is included toward the end of the bio. Personal information such as subjects’ age, marital status, area of residence, etc. are optional, but some feel that such details “humanize” subjects.
By the way, one of my favorite PR gurus, Joan Stewart the Publicity Hound, states that many bios are boring because lists of degrees, honors and positions are just copied from subjects’ resumes. One of her recommendations for creating bios is making online bios more succinct and appealing but including a link to an actual resume in order to accommodate anyone who wants more details about the subject’s job history.
Feature Style Bios
Feature style bios are written as if they are magazine articles and so include more personal details as well as quotes from the subjects in order to include human interest angles.
The lead paragraph of the feature-style bio should grab attention. Two effective tactics for this is to start with a quote from the subject or use an “it all started when…” angle. Stewart’s own bio actually uses the latter tactic (and is quite entertaining).
While PR and communications professionals are often required to create subjects’ quotes, I recommend insisting on an interview when writing a feature-style bio. Subjects’ comments tend to be better than anything that you could devise, particularly because subjects may have an intriguing perspective on their achievements and general past.
Using Bios
In addition to putting bios in media kits, online media rooms, etc., PR gurus also suggest publishing online biographies that contain keywords that search engines will pick up on, allowing reporters to find your experts on their own.
Because of the different ways in which you can use a bio, you will likely have to reduce or expand any bio you create in order to have it fit a particular communication vehicle. In those cases, always keep in mind what aspects of the subject would most interest particular audiences and edit/expand the material accordingly. Brand-Yourself.com has some very interesting articles on breaking down the elements of a bio and writing bios for social networking sites, etc .
Finally, you should remember to review and update bios as needed. Your executives and key staffers will not only change positions, but they also may earn awards or have other accomplishments that would be suitable for the bio. It can be easy to forget this routine task, so set a regular time to attend to it, so your information is always current.
Break These Grammar “Rules”
The more you write, the more likely you are to find that the English language is a maze of grammar rules and pseudo-rules. In order to help you sort out what’s what, I’ve consulted a few resources for the answers to four of the most common sources of confusion.
You Can’t End a Sentence with a Preposition
Actually, you can. In fact, experts recommend leaving the preposition at the end of the sentence if placing it anywhere else will make your writing awkward.
They also state that ending a sentence with a preposition can give your writing a conversational feel. Since sounding conversational generally aids communication, feel free to use this tactic. The only time I’d avoid it is when writing “formal” material.
Don’t Split Infinitives
The most famous split infinitive is probably “To boldly go where no one has gone before” from Star Trek. You could change it to “To go boldly where no one has gone before,” but it doesn’t have the same flair, does it?
In the past, “refined” English speakers didn’t want their infinitives split because infinitives were never split in Latin (the foundation of refined English). This was very likely due to the fact that Latin infinitives are single words (e.g., disserere – to discuss), so, of course, you couldn’t split them.
Many experts now feel that splitting infinitives isn’t bad grammar, it’s just bad style. However, the authors of Elements of Style advise readers to split the infinitive if it will keep sentences from sounding awkward or stuffy. If you do want to sound formal, rewrite your sentence.
Don’t Begin a Sentence with “And” or “But”
The same general guidelines for the previous two apply here as well. Starting a sentence with a conjunction not only provides you with an easy transition, but also allows you to control where you place your emphasis.
E.g., compare “This is a great deal. But you have to act now” to “This is a great deal, but you have to act now.”
Use the Article “An” with Words That Begin with Vowels
Actually, you should use “an” with words that begin with vowel *sounds.* You’d write “a hotel” but “an hour” because the second word begins with a vowel sound. For the same reason, you’d write “a one-time event” but “an overbearing boss.”
It’s when you encounter different dialects that there can be trouble. E.g., people who pronounce “herb” with the “h” sound will use “a” before it, but others who drop the “h” are perfectly right to use “an.”
Even if you can’t keep all the rules and guidelines straight, you can polish your text easily if you read it aloud. Imagine you’re in a conversational or formal setting as you read, and you’ll able to fine-tune your text appropriately.
Four Formulas for Writing Success
It’s been said that there are no hard and fast rules for persuasive writing, but that hasn’t prevented writers from creating formulas that cover basic principles and concepts.
Although these formulas are usually associated with advertisements, direct mail or direct response, they can be used in speeches, articles, press releases, letters, proposals and more.
That’s because most communications contain an element of persuasion: download the white paper, give us the account, agree to this policy and so on.
I’ve tracked down four classic formulas to share with you.
Formula #1: AIDA
This is the classic of classics, the one that those studying or working in communications will most likely encounter.
Attention – In order to get your message across, you first have to grab your target public’s attention. To do this, pay attention to your target publics by identifying characteristics or motives most likely to help you get their notice.
Interest – Once you have your target public’s attention, appeal to their self-interest, (professional or personal) and state your offer or position. Make sure that you sound enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious but a bland tone will sap the energy of your message and reduce its impact.
Desire – By now your target public’s interest should be peaking into desire. Show your desire for their patronage by reducing risk or effort (guarantees, no-obligation samples, making follow-through as easy as possible). The other tactic is to give them an incentive (a deadline, premium or information).
Action – Most communications are designed to elicit a response, but writers often neglect to include a call to action. If you want readers to take action, take the initiative and ask for their participation, the account, whatever it is that you want.
Formula #2: The Four Ps
Picture – Visual elements, whether “word pictures” or actual images, help your target public to “see” your offer or issue. Sensory experiences build emotion and a sense of immediacy, which in turn attracts attention and establishes understanding quickly.
Emotions are always more persuasive than facts. For this reason, communication professionals use photos or samples with press releases, and charities include pictures of victims when making appeals.
Promise – Build on your message’s appeal by stating a promise (e.g., “we can make things better,” “this could be yours,” or “this is one heck of a story”). Just remember not to over-promise. You’ll disappoint your audience when you’re unable to follow through. Disappointment will turn to distrust or anger, and you will have lost your chance with them.
Prove – Back up any promise you make with evidence (testimonials, independent test results, awards, guarantees or quotes from authorities). Having a third party endorsing or supporting your message increases your credibility, and reassures your target public about your claims.
Push – Once you’ve convinced your audience with your message, push them into action. Always tell them what you want them to do.
Formula #3: ACCA
Awareness – The first step is to let your target public know of your issue, service, product or innovation. At this point, give them some sort of summary or headline so they have a basic understanding of your message.
Comprehension – Once your audience is conscious of your message, you must help them understand how it specifically relates to them. This is where you answer any questions or arguments that your message may raise.
Conviction – Increasing the audience’s knowledge base is the next step toward building motivation. This is where those who receive your message determine whether their self-interest will be served by responding. Many practitioners “sweeten the pot” with gifts, incentive programs, or special events.
Action – Ask message recipients to respond, even on a temporary basis.
Formula #4: Star – Chain – Hook
The last formula is the only one of the series that is not an acronym, and it has a strong selling slant.
Star – This is the “bright” attraction that you use to draw the person in. As mentioned in previous issues, this can be anything from your unique selling proposition to a provocative statement, etc.
Chain – Once your target public has been attracted to your star, you use the chain to draw them further into your message. They receive more information on benefits and issues until their initial interest peaks into motivation.
Hook – This is where practitioners ask the audience to take action.
Persuading an audience can be a long and tricky prospect, particularly in public relations. All the formulas examined here involve moving the audience from knowledge through motivation to implementation.
However, the methods and expectations will vary widely. While sales materials can generate relatively immediate results and mass media can quickly attract awareness, changing perceptions is more of a long-term effort. Remember that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” framework for any campaign; creativity and experimentation will always be essential for maximum impact.
Three Types of Research to Do Before You Write
When I’m blocked at the beginning of a writing project, it’s usually an indication that I need to do a little more research. It can be tempting to just jump into a project without a lot of preparation, especially if your assignment is relatively simple, like a short press release. But your research will influence what and how you write.
Even if you won’t be including a lot of research in your piece, odds are you still should know the information. Details that you dig up can give you a proper context for your subject, suggest a unique selling proposition or simply prevent you from inadvertently misleading readers.
The general rule is, whatever the type of piece you’re writing, research is the first step in your project. Different professionals may have different ideas about how to conduct research, but here are the three main types I recommend:
First-Person Experience
If you’re writing about a product, service or show, it’s a good idea to experience it for yourself. That sort of personal experience may yield details that you could not have acquired any other way, enabling you to bringing a specificity and concreteness to your piece that draws in readers.
For example, I once had to ghostwrite an article about an educational video game. Although I had all sorts of general information about how the games worked, the article kept stalling until I played the games myself. After that, I was able to include details about breaking through energy barriers and input weather data at a futuristic tower. I had been stuck because the information I had was enough for a brochure but not the type of article I was required to write.
Interviews
Of course, it is not always possible to have a first-hand experience. Interviews allow communications professionals to take advantage of someone else’s experiences and expertise. This is my main tactic for article assignments as well as case studies, but interviews have also enabled me to flesh out press releases with some great information about various ways a product has been used or integrated into an organization’s work processes.
Combining firsthand experience and interviews is a good tactic for any assignment that involves a complex subject. For example, the authors of The Public Relations Writer’s Handbook suggest that if you’re writing about a survey or book, you should try to both read the material and ask questions of the surveyor or author.
Review Existing Materials
The number one research tactic involves reviewing print and multimedia resources on your subject. In fact, it often sets the stage for the first two tactics mentioned.
This type of research helps you to learn about your subject’s background and development as well as relevant trends and the targeted audience. Review existing materials such as press kits, press releases, brochures, manuals, videos, podcasts, or websites so you can gain a better understanding of the product, service or organization and in turn, help readers appreciate what’s being offered.
This type of research does not have to be limited to in-house materials. Journal articles often require you to cite external resources. Also, checking out external articles, papers, videos and so on may make you become aware of any trends that you can use to create an angle for a piece.
An extreme example of this occurred recently when a client wanted me to write a press release about an updated product. However, I suspect that communication had broken down between the research & development and marketing departments because when the assignment passed through the company pipeline to me, my contact had no guidance on how important the new feature would be for prospective customers. She asked me to do some general research that could support the concept of the upgrade being noteworthy, and my research revealed that the update actually filled a very significant need for two segments of the company’s targeted market.
You should also research media outlets that you are specifically targeting. Many busy pros neglect this step and wind up sending irrelevant pitches and other materials to outlets. It can be time consuming, but you should research whether the outlet actually covers your topic, what angle(s) would best suit that particular outlet (editorial calendars can be a great help in that area), and who would be the best person to contact. The outlet’s website is a good starting point and you can also look for newspaper and magazine articles in public library databases such as MasterFILE Premier. If possible, review the most recent articles or shows related to your topic so you can reference them during your initial contact with the outlet.
Research may not be the most fun aspect of public relations or promotional writing, but you ignore it at your peril.
Four Ways to Create a Consistent Writing Style
If you manage the editorial process for your organization, sooner or later you’ll discover one of the facts of writing life: everyone has their own ideas about what makes up good grammar or style. If you submit copy to three different people for approval, it may come back with three different alterations. If your staff hands in writing assignments, you’ve probably found yourself editing the work for consistency.
The English language is evolving and so grammar rules are constantly changing. Is it appendixes or appendices? Should you use capitalization and periods in bulleted/numbered lists? Do you use open or closed punctuation? And do the same rules apply no matter what you’re writing?
Since written material becomes part of your organization’s public image, you can’t get rid of the rounds of approvals and rewrites. So how do you bring order out of stylistic chaos without working late into the night? Here are a few ideas:
1. Suggest that the company adopt a stylebook. There are dozens of stylebooks available, and the ones listed below are a good place to start:
- The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law (generally for journalists and public relations practitioners)
- MLA Style Manual (Modern Language Association stylebook for scholarly, literary and academic works)
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (for writers and editors in the social and behavioral sciences
2. Even the most comprehensive book cannot cover every situation that editors face. A style sheet can define your organization’s “house style” and serve as an easy reference tool in addition to or in place of a stylebook.
In many companies, different departments are responsible for specific projects, e.g. marketing does the newsletter, business development writes proposals, and technical support prepares product documentation and manuals.These departments can get together and create a “house” style sheet for specific words, especially those pertaining to the business. Senior executives may not wish to be part of this process, but at least you’ll be able to send the document on to them with several of the problems already resolved.
Some style sheet formats involve dividing one or two sheets of paper into sections and assigning two or more letters of the alphabet to each section. Others, like this example from The Independent magazine, use alphabetized lists. You can also include general rules concerning numbers, punctuation and formatting.
If you use outside writers, give them a copy of your style sheet so that they know your requirements.
3. Consistency of style applies to graphic elements as well. Create an identity manual that sets rules for logo configurations and establishes the official color palette. That way, your organization’s visual identity won’t disintegrate into a confusing jumble of images.
4. Using your word processing programs to create customized dictionaries and writing styles is another effective way to reduce time, effort and stress when copyediting or compiling writing assignments. Adding, modifying and deleting specific spellings to your computer’s dictionary will enable your spell-check function to find any misspellings. Spelling and grammar functions allow users to customize or create their choice of writing style (e.g., casual, technical, formal or standard).
So take time out of your busy schedule to decide whether it’s “USA” or “U.S.A.” In the long run, it may help you leave the office earlier.
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