This is a media writing guide for PR people.
The media use one per cent of the material PR people send them. What can we do to increase the hit-rate of the stories we write on behalf of our clients or employers?
We need to know exactly what the media want and what they don't want.
We should be able to write material according to the rules and conventions which the media themselves observe.
We ought to know how to compose, present and lay out stories in a manner which saves the media time and earns their approval.
We can enhance our pick-up if we know how to produce good media photography, video and infographics.
We must know how to pitch a story professionally.
This Guide is an A to Z of media writing for anyone working in PR who wants to get better results.
Foreword by Francis Ingham Introduction
Good media writing - the business case
The ROI - media messages
The media writing challenge: editorial choice
B2B and B2C - what's the difference?
How journalists write
The journalist's PR challenge
Journalists' rules
Researching a story
Interview tips
Composition:
Headlines and leads
Format, structure
Short-form and long-form
The human factor and illustrations
Media language
Enemies of clarity
Style
Quotations
Self-editing
What the media want and don't want
What the media say they want and don't want
Story ingredients: the Trevor Morris system
Writing for screens: advice from Steve Dunne
Pitching a story to the media
Making a soft story stronger
Distribution: the PESO model
Appendix
Advice from journalists and editors
Good media relations - five top tips
Books about the media and media writing
Improving your media writing
A selection of journalism terms
Media story platforms
Putting it into practice (exercises)
Media quotes about the media
