How to Write a Press Release

How to Write a Press Release

Guidelines

by Susannah Greenberg,CEO,
Susannah Greenberg Public Relations

These are guidelines for how to write a press release. They are guidelines only, not rules.

The length of a press release should be approximately 600 words excluding headline, contact information, and bibliographic detail.

The text should answer the five basic questions of journalism: who, what, when, where and why?

The press release should have a newsworthy headline and sub-headline.

It should have a dateline. For example:

September 19,2019

NEW YORK (BOOKBUZZ) —

It should have contact information of contacts whom the media can reach out to for further information - name, phone number, and email. At the bottom or top, the address of the organization, its website address, and its logo should appear.

It should contain 3-4 bullet points highlighting features.

It should contain, on average, no more than 3-4 links and 1-2 images.

Images should be captioned and carry credit lines naming the photographer or source of photo if needed.

Copy should appeal to the broadest possible audience and assume no background knowledge on the part of the reader.

Remember, all emails need to be mobile friendly, which means consider that most or many will read the email on a cell phone or other mobile device.  So, type size should be 13.5 pt at a minimum and use white space liberally.

Also, there should be white space around all hyperlinks as well in order to make it easy to click on them on the small screen of a cell phone.

Finally, consider sending a VERY brief pitch letter INSTEAD of a press release, and in the pitch letter include a link to your press release which you can make available either online or via a service like Dropbox or Box.

Here are more tips on writing press releases from a journalism and public relations site called Muck Rack:

Come up with a creative, attention-grabbing headline and sub-headline. Make sure the headline you choose both engages readers and accurately explains the context of the press release.

[Very important! My emphasis]  Get right to the point in the intro using an inverted pyramid writing style. Make sure the first paragraph of your press release addresses all the important points to follow.

Include one or two key quotes when possible. Incorporating quotes from expert sources is a great way to get key elements across in your press release while humanizing the content.

Keep your press release relatively short. Journalists typically don’t have a lot of time to closely read lengthy releases. Stick to the most important information.

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Some news wire services which will help you write and distribute your press release are:

ereleases.com

newswire.com

businesswire.com

CONTACT: Susannah Greenberg Public Relations, (646) 801-7477, publicity@bookbuzz.com

A Look Back at 2019 at Susannah Greenberg Public Relations - A Book Publicity Firm

Highlights of 2019 

Dear Book Friends,

As 2019 and the decade come to a close, I look back on and share with you the highlights of my year as CEO of Susannah Greenberg Public Relations.  I thank all of my colleagues, clients, and friends for all they have done to help me succeed. 

BookExpo 2019: I organized and moderated a panel on women and books ‘Year of the Woman in Books,’  with noted authors, critics and booksellers. Panelists: Hillary Kelly, Michele Filgate, Glory Edim, Hannah Oliver Depp, and Erika Swyler.

Joyce Carol Oates, Photo by Dustin Cohen

Jerusalem International Book Forum: I served as the U.S. Press Contact for the JIBF and public relations for the Jerusalem Prize to author Joyce Carol Oates; the keynote speaker Stephen Rubin (Henry Holt); and The Zev Birger Editorial Fellowship program.

Grupo Books, an Imprint of Penguin Random House: Public Relations for You Shall Not Kill, a novel, translated from Spanish, by internationally best selling author Julia Navarro.

Civility: George Washington’s 110 Rules for Today by Steven Michael Selzer (Andrews McMeel): Public Relations campaign for this gentle and wise book, inspired by our Founding Father, George Washington, including an author website: https://www.stevenselzerbooks.com/

The Demon Door Series: A successful campaign for this wildly entertaining epic fantasy series, including social media marketing, replete with a cover reveal on Instagram, for author and former Sirius XM book talk show host Kim Alexander, with interviews on Hour of the Wolf and Sci Fi Talk with Tony Tellado.

KidLit.TV: I'm part of the KidLit TV team. KidLit TV is a winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, the Norton Juster Award for Devotion to Literacy, and one of the American Library Association’s Great Websites For Kids.

Women’s Media Group, Communications Chair. It was my honor to serve on the board of this group of women in book publishing which was founded in 1973.

Book Buzz with Susannah Greenberg, Podcast: I continued to produce and record my podcast, a showcase for authors, on blogtalkradio.

Introducing Author Website Services: In 2019, I introduced author website services launching with https://www.stevenselzerbooks.com/

And as 2019 turns into 2020, I’m at work on a public relations campaign for a new inspiring book called Dreams Never Dreamed: A Mother’s Promise that Transformed Life’s Challenges into a Beacon of Hope by Kalman Samuels, Founder and Chairman of Shalva, in Jerusalem, one of the world’s largest centers for disability care and inclusion, to be published in the spring of 2020 by the Toby Press, an imprint of Koren.  

I’m also working on another exciting book publishing panel for BookExpo 2020! More to come.

I wish all of you happy holidays and a happy new year! A new year brings new books!

Sincerely,

Susannah Greenberg

President & CEO, Susannah Greenberg Public Relations

publicity@bookbuzz.com

(646) 801-7477

New Novel From Bestselling Author Julia Navarro (Publisher: Grupo Books; An Imprint of Penguin Random House)

Book Buzz News from Susannah Greenberg Public Relations For further information or review copies, electronic or print: publicity@bookbuzz.com , phone or text (646) 801-7477, or use the convenient review copy request form below Attn: Book Reviewer, Editor Subjects: Books and Literature, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Hispanic, Historical - Action & Adventure For Immediate Release:  Now Available in English, A New Novel from the Internationally Bestselling Author Julia Navarro… . A captivating story about guilt, vengeance, the weight of conscience, and the ghosts that haunt us

You Shall Not Kill by Julia Navarro Publisher: Grupo Books; An Imprint of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial. Available at Ingram Publisher Services. November 12, 2019

REQUEST A REVIEW COPY (PDF or print book) Fernando, a young literary editor and the son of a persecuted Spanish Republican, decides to flee a Spain battered by Civil War with his friends, Catalina and Eulogio. The Spanish Civil War has just ended and the young trio try to recover from the impact it had on their lives and those of their families. Caught up in a complex tangle of emotions, blame, and the desire for revenge, they embark on an uncertain journey to escape and build a brighter future than what post-war Spain has to offer.

Julia Navarro is a journalist, political analyst, and the internationally bestselling author of six novels, including The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud and The Bible of Clay . Her fiction has been translated into more than thirty languages. She lives in Madrid. www.julianavarro.es

Praise for Julia Navarro and Her Internationally Bestselling Novels: THE BIBLE OF CLAY “Plenty of action and revenge.” - Library Journal THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE HOLY SHROUD “Plenty of action and a cast of well-drawn characters will satisfy Da Vinci Code fans…. Fans of the genre will find much to like here.” -- Booklist “An exuberant, deeply involved thriller, woven around the history of the Shroud of Turin…. Terrifically lively characterizations and the author’s passion for her subject make this one stand out.” -- Kirkus Reviews “Navarro deserves credit for her extensive research on the Knights Templar.” -- Entertainment Weekly You Shall Not Kill Julia Navarro ISBN: 9781644731246 Publisher: Grupo Books. An Imprint of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial. Available at Ingram Publisher Services. Paperback: 992 pp TP $17.95 On Sale Date: 11/12/2019 BISAC: FICTION / Historical - Action & Adventure Trim Size: 6 x 9 This press release is sent by Susannah Greenberg Public Relations on behalf of Penguin Random House Books Grupo Editorial U.S.A.   This is a non-commercial email whose sole purpose is to communicate with the media with regard to potential news coverage . CONTACT: Susannah Greenberg, Public Relations publicity@bookbuzz.com (646) 801-7477

An Updated "Alcoholics Anonymous" in American Sign Language

www.aa.org Contact : pressinfo@aa.org (212) 870-3144 November 4, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Link to ASL Release   Attention : Journalists, Producers, Editors, Reviewers Subjects : American Sign Language, Alcoholism and Addiction, Health and Wellness, Publishing Extending the Hand of A.A. Alcoholics who are Deaf can access A.A.’s program of recovery in an updated American Sign Language translation of Alcoholics Anonymous (New York, NY) With over 35 million printed copies sold, the book  Alcoholics Anonymous  is now available in an updated abridged translation into American Sign Language. Commonly referred to as “The Big Book” this basic text of the worldwide Fellowship that bears its name is now available on DVD to the Deaf community, the Hard-of-Hearing community and the hearing community as well. DVD features : Professional ASL signers and DVD video production Updated translation inspired and reviewed by A.A. members who are Deaf Audio track and subtitles for use among ASL and non-ASL users The basic principles and practices of the Fellowship that have provided a pathway to recovery for alcoholics for over 80 years Can be ordered at www.aa.org or may be available through a local A.A. office near you A.A. has always been committed to making its program of recovery available to anyone, anywhere who reaches out for help with a drinking problem. This translation has been updated with current language and signing most familiar in today’s Deaf community. Founded in 1935 on the principle of one alcoholic helping another to achieve sobriety, A.A. is an effective and enduring program of recovery that has changed countless lives. As explained in the book, A.A.’s recovery program of twelve suggested Steps was formulated through the experience of its first 100 members and has reached millions of sufferers around the world. For more information about A.A. resources for alcoholics who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, please contact the Accessibilities and Remote Communities Coordinator at the General Service Office at  Access@aa.org  or by phone at 212-870-3344. For additional information about Alcoholics Anonymous, visit the  Press/Media  page at  www.aa.org . This press release is being sent by Susannah Greenberg Public Relations , on behalf of A.A. World Services. View this page in:  Español  |  Français

Susannah Greenberg Presents a Panel on Women and Books at BookExpo 2019

Susannah Greenberg Public Relations Presents:

The Year of the Woman in Books in 2018, 2019, and Beyond: The Success and Influence of Books For and By Women

A Panel At

 

05/31/2019, 1:30 PM - 2:10 PM  1E11, The Javits Center, New York, NY -- In 2018, we saw the amazing success of books for and by women, including books by Michelle Obama, Tayari Jones, Rebecca Traister, Soraya Chemaly, Jodi Picoult, Margaret Atwood, and more.  This panel looks at the success of women in books in 2018, 2019, and beyond, and examines the proposition that this represents far more than just a year of the woman in books, but is in fact a radical shift in book publishing that is here to stay.

Moderator: SUSANNAH GREENBERG is President of Susannah Greenberg Public Relations, (http://bookbuzz.com), a book publicity firm.  She is also the Communications Chair and General Board Member of the, Women's Media Group; past president and publicity chair of the Women's National Book Association - NYC; and the U.S. Press Contact for the Jerusalem International Book Fair and Jerusalem Prize.   @suegreenbergpr  

HANNAH OLIVER DEPP is a career bookseller who has managed WORD bookstores in Brooklyn, NY and Jersey City, NJ and Politics & Prose in Washington, DC. She is currently opening Loyalty Bookstores, an intersectional feminist bookstore, cafe, and co-working space with locations in Washington, DC and Silver Spring, MD. Oliver Depp is a founding member of Indies Forward and the American Bookselling Association Committee on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, as well as a NAIBA regional Board Member.  @OliverDepp

GLORY EDIM (photo credit: Jai Lennard) is the author of an anthology, 'Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves,' from Penguin Random House, and founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a Brooklyn-based book club and digital platform that celebrates the uniqueness of Black literature and sisterhood.   In fall 2017, she organized the first-ever Well-Read Black Girl Festival. She has worked as a creative strategist for over ten years at startups and cultural institutions. Most recently, she was the Publishing outreach Specialist at Kickstarter. She serves on the board of New York City’s Housing Works Bookstore. @wellreadblkgirl

MICHELE FILGATE is a contributing editor at Literary Hub and the editor of an anthology based on her Longreads essay, What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About, from Simon & Schuster on April 30, 2019. Currently, she is an M.F.A. student at NYU, where she is the recipient of the Stein Fellowship. 

Her work has appeared in Longreads, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Refinery29, Slice, The Paris Review Daily, Tin House, Gulf Coast, The Rumpus, Salon, Interview Magazine, Buzzfeed, The Barnes & Noble Review, Poets & Writers, CNN.com, Fine Books & Collections Magazine, DAME Magazine, The Brooklyn Quarterly, Time Out New York, People, The Daily Beast, O, The Oprah Magazine, Men's Journal, Vulture, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, The Star Tribune, The Quarterly Conversation, The Brooklyn Rail, and other publications. 

She teaches creative nonfiction for The Sackett Street Writers' Workshop, Catapult, and Stanford Continuing Studies and is the founder of the Red Ink series. In 2016, Brooklyn Magazine named her one of "The 100 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Culture." She’s a former board member of the National Book Critics Circle.  @readandbreathe

HILLARY KELLY is a critic and essayist. She's a contributor to New York Magazine and Vulture, where she writes about television, books, and the ways they intersect. She also covers television for Vogue. She lives in Washington, D.C. @HillaryKelly

ERIKA SWYLER (photo credit: Nina Subin) is the author of ‘Light From Other Stars: A Novel’ from Bloomsbury, May 2019. Her  first novel, ‘The Book of Speculation,’  was one of BuzzFeed's 24 Best Fiction Books of 2015, one of Amazon's Best Novels of 2015, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her writing has appeared in Catapult Story, VIDA, The New York Times, and elsewhere. She lives on Long Island, NY, with her husband and a mischievous rabbit.  @erikaswyler

“It would be a thousand pities if women wrote like men, or lived like men, or looked like men, for if two sexes are quite inadequate, considering the vastness and variety of the world, how should we manage with one only? Ought not education to bring out and fortify the differences rather than the similarities?”  ― Virginia Woolf

"I write my rage into paper and into bits and bytes. I write anger out of my head and my body and put it out in the world where, frankly, it belongs." – Soraya Chemaly, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger

"Power is a story told by women. For centuries, men have colonized storytelling. That era is over." - Elena Ferrante

Related Pages:


Elena Ferrante: A Power of Our Own
Power is a story told by women. For centuries, men have colonized storytelling. That era is over.


https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/opinion/elena-ferrante-on-women-power.html?smid=tw-nytopinion&smtyp=cur

Balance the books: one woman’s fight to keep great female writers on shelves

https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/18/the-second-shelf-an-devers-balance-the-books

The Second Shelf: On the Rules of Literary Fiction for Men and Women. By MEG WOLITZER MARCH 30, 2012

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/books/review/on-the-rules-of-literary-fiction-for-men-and-women.html

The 2017 VIDA Count | VIDA: Women in Literary Arts
https://www.vidaweb.org/the-2017-vida-count/

In Fiction, It Was the Year of the Woman. Hillary Kelly, Vulture.
https://www.vulture.com/2018/12/women-wrote-the-best-most-inventive-fiction-of-2018.html

What Do We Really Mean By ‘Women’s Fiction’?
https://lithub.com/what-do-we-really-mean-by-womens-fiction/

On Playing the Nice Woman by Erika Swyler

http://www.vidaweb.org/on-playing-the-nice-woman/


Women Who Fight Back With Poetry
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2019/04/30/women-who-fight-back-poetry

-- Susannah Greenberg, President,

Susannah Greenberg Public Relations,

A Public Relations Agency Serving Publishers, Authors, and the Book Industry

(646) 801-7477

publicity@bookbuzz.com

​https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/SGreenbergPR/

http://bookbuzz.com