10 Point Press Release Checklist

As mentioned in a previous post, unless you are a best-selling author whose publishing company has budgeted a healthy promotional budget for your latest book, you are going to be doing most of the promotion and publicity work on your own.  Obviously, this is even more true for the author who had self-published.  (I read some somewhere that authors need to understand there’s a difference between writing and the business of writing.  Successful authors are good at both of them.)  Part of doing promotion work is learning how to write good press releases.

Following is a checklist is a ten-point list developed by eReleases Editorial Director Heather Fuller to review before you send.        

1.  Is the topic newsworthy?

2.  Does the headline need a tune-up? Get your free tune-up here:

3.  Is the first paragraph strong, essentially summarizing the release and containing the 5Ws (who, what, when,  where, and why)?

4.  Is the press release too short or too lengthy?

5.  Does the press release follow AP Style and is it grammatically sound?

6.  Does the press release set an appropriate tone, avoiding over-description, exaggeration, editorialization, and ad copy?

7.  Is the press release fact-based and adequately documented?

8.  Is the contact information complete, including a person’s name, telephone number and email address?

9.  Does your message match your target audience?

10.  Is your press release media-friendly (not link-heavy or unorthodox).

 You can sign up to receive Mickie Kennedy’s newsletter via http://www.ereleases.com,
http://www.press-release-writing.com, or Toll Free: 800.990.5545.

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