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How to Write a Press Release
So they get read and released
by Demian
© 2022, Demian
The clearer your releases, the less an editor will need to guess at what you may have meant.
Address your release specifically to the editor who is in charge of the entertainment department.
Before you send it, have your released checked by someone who knows how to spell, as well as write, a grammatically correct sentence.
Do not trust a computer program’s grammar and spell check.
Send a letter, fax (if they want that format, less likely these days), or e-mail in Plain Text.
Use attached images. Do NOT use formatted HTML.
Do NOT place linked images in your e-mails - it is more likely to be tagged at spam, or viewed as an empty box on the e-mail.
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Critical Data
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Press releases should contain the most important information:
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Sample Release
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Text Sample
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Explanation
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Press Release
March 22, 2004 - for May 25th release
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Header, Release and if the information is Embargoed
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“Michelangelo’s Boy Toy Models”
by Rubert Patrick
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What & Who #1
Title of Production and Author
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A romantic comedy set in 1506 Rome. Michelangelo, at 33, is the most noted artist in Europe, and must decide what to do with his talent, power, and life. Three older artists (DaVinci, Botticelli, and Bramante), and three beautiful young men (a hustler, a prince, and a peasant) offer possible “models” for Michelangelo’s future life and loves. Pope Julius II, the painter Raphael, and the beautiful Simonetta Vespucci (the model for “The Birth of Venus”), become entangled in the romances, and ruses, of this Renaissance romp. In the end, Michelangelo has one more “trick” up his robe.
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Why #1
This is your pitch, the play’s content. Titles are short and often need more explanation. For instance, it would be difficult to know that the “Vengeance of the Deviant Hell-Breathing Riders” was a musical comedy.
Briefly mention:
- Genre
- Time Period
- Location
- Main Characters
- Main Dramatic Conflict - Do NOT go into plot-point details.
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Cast includes: Condo Rice, Carol Powell, Handsome Kissinger, and special guest Appaloosa Greenspan.
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Who #2
Cast List
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“Mr. Patrick has given us the essence of the Renaissance, both its loftiest aspirations and its basest motives, thus making it human and easily integrated.” - Michael’s Thang, New York
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Why #2
Reviews, Praise from Others, Awards - These are optional.
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Written by The Ultimates
Book by Bernie Busch
Lyrics by Miz Muffet
Composed by Candor and Ebbes
Directed by Josh Ashcroft and Italian Renaissance scholar M. Buonaroti
Produced by D. H. Rumsfeld,
Presented by Theatre for Indifference
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Who #3
Top production personnel only.
Do NOT list the costumer, set designer, flour manager, etc.
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Play dates: June 4-July 10, 2004 - Wednesday-Sundays
Times: All shows 8pm
Kind Gentle Theater, 1 Bush Blvd., Bagdad, Virginia
Wheelchair accessible
$15; $12 students, seniors, teachers
Contains nudity: adults only
Information/Reservations: 757-xxx-xxxx
Tickets: tickets.com
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When & Where
Important Data:
Date, Time, Place (full address includes Street, City and State), Wheelchair Access, Cost, Adult Content Warning, Box Office Contacts, Tickets.
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Photo attached: “Play’s the Thing” with Condo Rice (Simonetta), Carol Powell (Botticelli)
Photo by George Eastman
More photos at https://sample_web_site.url.com/photos.html
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Who #4
Images of those in the play.
People in photos are always listed left-to-right.
Always credit the Photographer or Poster Maker.
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Contact: Ms. Publicity Maven, Kinder Gentler Publicists:
206-xxx-xxxx; pub@kindgentle.com; https://web_site.url.com
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Who #5
Contacts for more information.
You know the drill: Always Leave Them Wanting More. And have a way for them to get it.
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Common Writing Errors
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- Self-generated praises about the author/director/actor/producer is easily seen as amateurish and, hence, to be ignored. Especially if the press release author is also the play’s author/director/actor/producer/custodian.
- Keep it Very Brief — One printed page is enough.
Most events, culture, and news desks get 200+ releases a day. They usually do not have time to read more than the first two paragraphs.
- Run your spell checker and your grammar checker in your word program, before copying the text to e-mail.
Do not trust your grammar and spell checkers. Ask a literate friends to read, offer advice. Then correct your release.
- Send in a Plain Text E-mail. Do NOT send HTML-formatted E-mails, which can easily be misinterpreted by all the different E-mail readers. Sometimes. HTML formatting will jumble text and double up sentences making text unreadable.
- Era dates should be “90s” not “90’s” - Dates are not capable of being possessive.
- Always use lower case for position titles. Use “André d’Artiste, artistic director” NOT “André d’Artiste, Artistic Director.”
- Theater locations should have full addresses, including the city and state. Many releases are foolishly sent with only a street address.
Because Releases are sent all over the world — especially by E-mail — it is rude (maybe even dumb) to expect everyone to know where your own personal little theater is located.
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How to Capitalize a Title
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Nothing should be All Caps - especially titles:
- All First and Last words in a title are Capitalized.
- Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (“As,” “Because,” “Although”).
- Lowercase all articles, coordinate conjunctions (“and,” “or,” “nor”), and prepositions, when not the first or last word.
- Lowercase “to” in an infinitive.
Examples:
“Angels in America” || “As Is” || “The Boys in the Band”
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Common E-mail Mistakes
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Item
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Problem
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Solution
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HTML formatting
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Many e-mail readers do not translate HTML accurately.
Viruses can get passed via HTML Web page formatting.
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Turn off the HTML.
Send message as PLAIN TEXT.
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ALL CAPS
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Rude.
Irritating. Visually like shouting.
Nothing should be all caps - especially not a play’s title.
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Use capitol letters only for:
- First letter of a sentence
- Play and book titles
- Proper names (not staff titles)
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Large image file attachments
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This makes for long upload times.
Huge attachments may be blocked by Internet Service Providers as a virus prevention measure.
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Provide Links to your Web site for large image files.
Don’t make an image appear in your e-mail via linking the image from your Web site.
Only directly attach images.
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