In the age of digital marketing, social media and short attention spans, it’s tempting to think press releases have had their day. But whether you send them to hundreds of journalists, stick them on your website or simply use them to ensure a consistent message, being able to write a good press release is still
Writing
Why writing press releases remains a crucial skill for PR professionals
31 Jul / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments / tags : inverted pyramid,PR,press releases,writing
10 headlines we just can’t resist – even when we know we’re being duped
11 Jun / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 2 comments /(Or how to write successful clickbait) The video David Cameron didn’t want you to see. Five so called health foods you should never eat. What people really mean when they say nice things. This dad gave his 2 year old son a pair of scissors: you won’t believe what happened next. They’re everywhere. Those ‘less
Whether or not Ernest Hemingway actually said the regularly quoted “the first draft of everything is shit” (I’ve yet to find the source), it’s not a bad mantra to keep in mind as you gaze at the blank screen or delete (almost) everything you write. The message behind “the first draft of everything is shit”
Type the words ‘writing for the web’ into Google and up will pop around 739,000,000 results in 0.41 seconds. I didn’t get beyond the first 30 or so but it was clear from those that just about every academic institution, training course provider and professional writer has an awful lot to say on the subject.
Who writer better? Women write better, male writers get to the point faster and both sexes are more likely than not to write about people like themselves, says a poll by the staff of, Grammarly the world’s leading online proofreading tool. Whether you agree with the findings or not, they make very interesting reading!
Black Friday? It’s enough to make you Laugh Out Loud!
04 Dec / by: Lorraine Forrest-Turner / 0 comments /When I first saw the words ‘Black Friday’ in an email from Amazon last year, I immediately thought of ‘Black Wednesday’ (16 September 1992 when the UK pulled out of the ERM) and other equally ‘Bad Days’ in history. One year on and many ‘salemails’ later, I worked out that ‘Black Friday’ is yet another import from
Can’t think of anything to write? Obsessed with deleting because you think your writing is rubbish? Bored with writing about the same old subject? You’re not alone. ALL writers face writer’s block at some time or other. Here are 10 ways to help you beat the dreaded ailment. 1. Find the root of the problem.
If your dog does a poo, please put it in a bin.
01 Nov / by: Lorraine / 0 comments /Context plays an enormous role in communications, and woe betide the communicator who gets it wrong. Take my headline. We know it doesn’t mean put the dog in the but it’s a great example of context. We know we’re meant to pick up dog mess so we instantly understand the message. We also know that
7 phrases that make you look like an amateur
19 Oct / by: Lorraine / 0 comments /The internet has turned us all into publishers. Sadly, it’s also made many of us think we’re copywriters. Just because you CAN put your own content up on the web for the world to see doesn’t mean you should! Ideally, unless you are a gifted communicator, get your content produced by a professional who knows
We’ve all been there. We need to write that important 500 word article before the end of the day. We have reams of notes, pages of technical info and stacks of truly amazing benefits. If only we could get the blasted thing started! For most writers, getting beyond the blank screen (or constantly deleting the
