Writing

There was a gathering of editors from leading D.C. publications whose job includes evaluating op-ed submissions from outside writers. Their tips on how to get published amounted to a clinic for authors. A major takeaway was that while editors want jargon-free submissions with strong points of view, each publication has certain preferences. This means the road to success for media pitchers is to know those preferences.

In each edition of PR News we highlight takeaways from an article or articles as well as additions to the PR News Resource Center, which is available only to subscribers at https://www.prnewsonline.com/subscriber-resources/

Whether they’re writing media pitches, RFPs, blog posts, white papers, social posts, content marketing pieces or press releases, PR pros are usually serving several entities. The net result of writing on behalf of so many entities: messy, vague word hash. No PR writer is immune to this syndrome and the amount of native talent one has is no defense against it.

These summer reading recommendations for PR pros might not show you how to get your brand message through the media clutter, but they will inspire you with their storytelling qualities, humor and, in some cases, exceptional research.

PR News’ community on Twitter has been voting for the most overused clichés over the past several weeks—using the hashtag #WordsBracket—through five rounds of brackets. Apparently PR practitioners need a nice long break from hearing the word “engage” but, admittedly, it’ll be hard to find a workable replacement for it.

We’re down to just two contenders in PR News’ 2018 Most Overused PR Words & Phrases Tournament: “thought leader” and “engage.” PR News’ community on Twitter has been voting for the past several weeks through four rounds of brackets. This time around “thought leader” bested “industry-leading,” and “engage” edged out “elevate.” The shockers of this year’s tournament so far are the relatively early exits of “at the end of the day” and “quite frankly.”

April Fools’ Day saw brands execute countless pranks on their (mostly) unsuspecting audiences. Embedded in these pranks are numerous lessons in good humor and bad taste, reminding communicators that it’s OK to be funny…just so long as the jokes land. Here are some notable examples.

We’re down to the Final Four of the 2018 Most Overused PR Words & Phrases Tournament. Before calling your bookie to place a bet, go to Twitter, use the hashtag #WordsBracket and tell us which of the four words or phrases should advance to the glorious championship round.

Earlier this month, PR News launched its own version of March Madness with the 2018 Most Overused PR Words & Phrases Tournament. Communicators reached out to us via Twitter with their votes for the most egregious examples of corporate jargon, from “trending” and “industry-leading” to “quite frankly.” We present the “winners” (such as they are) of the second round here.

Whether crafting a press release seen by thousands or an email sent only to your team, a communicator’s goal is to foster a strong culture of writing, said panelists at PR News’ Advanced Writing Workshop, held March 20 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. While every writer has their blind spots, here are four common mistakes to keep in mind when crafting any communication.