The Write Stuff

By Peter L DeHaan

March 14, 2007

Consider this: "ABC Company, the premier provider of best-of-class customer enhancement services, wholly designed for vertical outsourcing call center enterprises, leveraging the power of convergence, announced today the release the world's first totally digital transactional solution, ABC Widgetiser, which is guaranteed to revolutionize existing technological processes."

This is a typical, albeit slightly embellished, coalescence of press releases I have received.  Only a small percentage of these press releases ever make it into print.  Although the practical restriction of limited space in a printed medium is one tangible reason, the reality is that most submissions were doomed from the start – much like the above exercise in verbosity.  Regardless of why you are seeking publicity or submitting an article, understanding how the system works is the first step:

Target Your Submissions: With email, the temptation is great to fire off hundreds of missives in every conceivable direction.  Doing so, however, reduces your thoughtfully composed prose to the level of spam, earning it an acrimonious end; a carefully targeted approach to carefully selected publications is a better way to go.

Know Your Target: My very first article submission, over two decades ago, was accepted and published.  This allowed me to infer that being published was easy.  The reality was that I knew and understood the target publication.  Not only had I been a subscriber for several years, but I was a faithful reader and was intimately familiar with the content they published and their style. 

Communicate with the Publication: My first step was to send a letter to the magazine (there was no ubiquitous email in 1982).  I pitched my idea and asked if they were interested.  They responded with a form letter and their "writer's kit."  The kit contained guidelines on what they expected, how to submit an article, and their due dates.

Today's editorial staff is being asked to do more, in less time, and with fewer resources.  Don't take it personally if your query is ignored or if you receive a terse, one sentence reply.  Make the best of any limited communication and move forward.

Tap into Their Resources: Today, virtually all periodicals have Websites, which often contain useful information for the aspiring writer.  On their Website you can expect to find guidelines for writing and submitting articles and press releases, the preferred length, the method of submission, and the desired writing style.

Know Your Subject: My first article was a subject I knew well.  Even so, as I began to write, I quickly realized how much I could not fully explain.  Fortunately, I was in a position to obtain the missing pieces.  The result was an accurate and informative submission that resonated well with the editors.  Writing about things you don't know or understand is quickly spotted and easily dismissed.  Don't do that.

Follow the Directions: The quickest and easiest way for your submission to be ignored is to assume that the rules don't apply to you.  Editors appreciate and more readily use material that complies with their guidelines.  They don't make rules just because they can, but rather to help things go smoothly.  The reality is that when an editor is time-constrained or nearing deadline, content requiring significant editing will often be delayed or get deleted.  Increase your chances of success by following directions.

Don't Miss Deadlines: Deadlines are given for a reason; be aware and follow them.  If you promise an article by a certain date, don't miss it.  If you desire your hot news item to be in a specific issue, get it in on time; sooner is better.  Weekly papers and monthly magazines especially have a much longer lead-time than most people imagine, so be aware and follow the dates.

Third Person is Preferred: Writing objectively in the third person gives your piece increased integrity and greater trustworthiness; it is more credible.  First-person is never acceptable in news releases as it comes across as self-serving, bragging, or unnecessarily introspective.  Third-person generally works best for articles, too.  Notable exceptions are first-hand commentaries, how-to pieces, and experiential accounts – such as this article.  If you have any doubt about which style to use, don the hat of a reporter and write in the third person.

Proofread Carefully: I continue to be amazed at receiving submissions that contain serious errors.  Some have not even been spell-checked!  This is a quick way to alienate an editor; make their work easier by double-checking yours.  It is nearly impossible to successfully proof your own work.  You know what you intended to write, so that is how you read it, easily overlooking errors and mistakes; so ask for help.

Expect to be Edited: It is tough to have someone edit your work; it is common to want it published verbatim.  This is an unrealistic expectation.  Even the most experienced have their work altered.  This can be for many reasons.  A common one is length, another is style, and a third is content suitability.  Sometimes a piece is given a different slant to make it more aptly fit a publication's focus or a section is removed because it doesn't work or flow with the article.

Although some publications have a reputation for twisting, manipulating, or corrupting an author's work, most make a good-faith effort to retain the writer's intent and project them positively.

Avoid Hyperbole: The more spectacular the language in the work, the less believable it becomes.  Words such as "leveraged," "solutions," "unique," "revolutionary," "leading," "cutting-edge," world-class" and "premier" are overused.  Avoid them.  Exaggerated copy, unsubstantiated claims, and self-promotion only serve to push a reader away, not draw them in.  When cleverness surpasses the message, communication is not taking place.

There is no guaranteed way to get your news item or article published, but implementing these ideas will certainly increase the likelihood of that happening – and decrease frustration when it does not.