Now in the second decade of the 21st century, surely the traditional press release has had its day. Why would anyone need to learn to write one? Whether organisations send them to the media, stick them on their website, break them up into social media posts or use them to ensure a consistent message across the
Writing
Corporate tone of voice: how to stop sounding like everyone else
30 Nov / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 4 comments /Has our obsession with creating a ‘unique’ brand/corporate tone of voice turned us into a nation of clones? Over the past few years, I’ve worked with many organisations in the creation and roll out of their ‘unique’ tone of voice (TOV). The starting point is usually a good one. They want to make it easy
Stop procrastinating and start copywriting: a 5-step technique to get you writing
24 May / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 8 comments /When it comes to procrastinating, nobody does it as well as the writer. There’s always an email to reply to, a cup of coffee to make, an urgent task to deal with first. Which is just about fine when you’re working on your ‘maybe one day’ novel. But how do we in PR, comms and
How well do you know literary devices? What’s the difference between a malapropism and a spoonerism? Ever wondered what’s makes an abbreviation an acronym? And are you in the habit of creating portmanteaus without realising it? Put your literary genius to the test and see how much you know (or don’t know) about neologisms and
7 ways to stop writing the obvious – or how to replace clichés with sincerity
11 Oct / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 3 comments /It’s impossible for copywriters to avoid clichés and stock phrases altogether, especially when writing short copy. But we should at least challenge ourselves to be original and sincere when we can. Tempted to call that event a “great day out with something for all the family”? Itching to ask people to “simply” phone or email?
Andy Barrett shows how to put your personal interests aside and write an informative and engaging article on (just about) anything. Ever been asked to write an article on a subject that didn’t particularly inspire you? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Most articles are written by people with no personal interest in that topic. But
How to stop writing bland quotes in press releases
26 Jan / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /If you find yourself writing the words “We’re delighted/proud/passionate” in quotes, delete them. Journalists don’t give two hoots about how pleased you or your clients are. All they want to know is what you’re doing to please or support their readers. We are not delighted “We’re delighted…” is the most commonly used quote in press
12 words with original meanings that might surprise you
30 Nov / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /Ever wondered what the ‘tide’ in ‘yuletide’ means? Do you know the literal meaning of the word ‘conspire’? Over time, meanings of words change with popular use. Here are 12 words with surprising original or literal meanings.
Why the best proofreaders aren’t always the best writers
20 Apr / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 4 comments /The problem with asking a creative writer or editor to proofread something is good writers and editors can’t resist making changes. They’re too subjective. They change things not because something is wrong but because it’s not how they’d say it themselves. Proofreading is purely objective. It’s either right or it isn’t. Any subjective changes should
How to stop using words journalists hate in your press releases
16 Mar / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /If you refer to your latest product launch as ‘pioneering’, ‘ground-breaking’, ‘innovative’ or ‘state-of-the-art’, you not only irritate journalists you also reduce your chances of getting decent coverage. How then do you swap the fluff for the facts? Journalists are busy people. They receive hundreds of unsolicited press releases and sell-ins every day. They don’t
