Helpful Tip for Writing: Easy as 1, 2, 3

It is always good to have a clear direction of where you are going. Processes seem tedious, but in reality it is the best way to ensure you are accomplishing your task efficiently. Everyone does it, some of us just have a little more practice at it. 

So what big process am I talking about? Well, if you are one of my fellow peers from my Business Communication class you already know I am talking about the 3x3 writing process. If you think about it, when we were younger we were brought up on this kind of process. First, we were taught to think about our idea and brainstorm. Second, we were told to draft and write your piece. Third, we were taught to revise and then to edit. Only then can we hand in a published piece of work. The 3x3 writing process is very straight forward and builds on these basics most of us were brought up on as children.

 

Phase 1: Pre-writing

1. Analyze: Why are you writing this press release? What is it's purpose? If you don't know what your press release is about then you have a big problem.  
2. Anticipate: Who are you writing to? We have already covered this in my post Ready, Aim, Fire! You need to anticipate who your audience is to ensure your messaging is targetting them.
3. Adapt: With the above steps you will be able to adapt your writing to ensure your message and purpose is framed in a way to engage your audience.

Phase 2: Writing

1. Research: In my post Where to start? Back to the Basics, you got a sense of your purpose for your press release, but you also started the research phase of your writing. There is probably a lot more information you will need to collect before you start composing your press release. Be sure to gather all the key information you will need before you start writing.
2. Organize: Remember Location, Location, Location? In this post we talked about organization and outlining. In the organizing step of Phase 2 you will need to organize your information and create an outline. Keep in mind location of certain information is key in a press release. Check out the post Location, Location, Location for more details.
3. Compose: Finally you are ready to compose! You have your outline and all the information you need so write away!

Phase 3: Revising

1. Revise: Take a breather and then come back to your press release. Is the message clear? Will this intrigue your audience? Is it in the right order? Take a look at your first draft and see what changes and additions you want to make to ensure your press release is effective in delivering your message.
2. Proofread: Once you have your content figured out, it is important to go back to proofread. Some individuals like to revise and edit at the same time. I find it helpful to do these two steps separately. This way you can ensure your content is exactly how you want it and you can spend the time to proofread with no distractions. You want your press release to be published, so be sure to set some of your time aside for proofreading.
3. Evaluate: The last step in the revising phase is to evaluate your press release. You need to ensure it attracts the audience you want. Will the press release be successful in getting out your purpose? How will you know if you succeeded in your purpose? I will be able to evaluate my press release by asking my event attendees in June how they heard about the event. Feedback can help you evaluate the success of your press release.  

Through the weeks you can see we have covered most of the steps in the 3x3 process. Look out for posts in the coming weeks that expand on Phase 3. When revising your press release there are some helpful tips you want to keep in mind to ensure you can engage your audience not only by your content, but by the way your press release looks as well.

Experiences are the best way to learn and practice. Share your wisdom...What are some challenges you have with press releases? Do you know of any helpful techniques that helped you overcome that challenge?