Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

Writing WorkshopOct. 25, 2006

Thank you

For being here.For your interest in improving your

writing skills.For helping us better present

Cooperative Extension information to our target audiences.

Goals for today

Learn news writing basicsDiscuss CSU guidelinesHow to work with your mediaPromotional writing tips

News writing basics

News writing is different from other kinds of writing.

Different types of news writing Hard news Community briefs Features

Hard news

5 WsInverted pyramidEditor decides what’s news

Impact Timeliness Proximity Prominence Human interest

Community briefs

Non commercialAnnouncements

Classes Programs Availability of information New leadership

Items of broad interest

Just the facts

Keep it shortKeep it factualMake it understandableMake sure it’s complete

Basics

AP style Spell out numbers from one to ten Check for abbreviations Time – 7 p.m. or 9:30 a.m. or noon Date – May 1, 2004 (not May 1st) Names Titles

News Release

Still most important way to get information to a reporter.

Follow a format, template

Goal is to have editor read and use our information- break through the clutter

New release format

Contact informationDate and when to releaseHeadlineDatelineBody of release1” margins all around, 12 pt. type, 1

½ line spacing

News writing

Short sentencesVery clear, avoid complex sentencesAccurate, double check all factsEnough detail to answer most

questionsObjective

Any opinion must be in a quote from a named source.

Writing and Editing

No one perfect way to express a thought

Usually is one way to spell and punctuate

Goal is to be clear, accurate and make it easy for the reader to understand our point of view

Tips

Don’t use !Don’t end a sentence with etc.Beware of sentence fragmentsMake sure you have noun and verb

agreementEdit to get rid of unnecessary wordsAvoid the passive voice

More tips

That and Which That is restrictive Which adds a fact

Double check your its and it’s; whose and who’s

to, tooMore than, over; less than, under

Colorado State University guidelines

We never use CSUWe are Colorado State University

Cooperative ExtensionUse Colorado State to refer to the

University on subsequent referencesAlways use Cooperative Extension –

not Extension Service or ExtensionGraphic standards manual is online

Working with the media

Know your target audience and the media they use

Know your target media – read, listen, watch, switch around

Know their deadlinesSend information to correct editor by

name and title

Media

We provide, they use or notWe don’t get to previewCan track articles online with some

publicationsTry to maintain a publicity notebook

for each event

Promotional writing

BrochuresFlyersPostcardsAdvertisingPostersBookmarksMagnets

Advertising copywriting

Different from news writingDesigned to grab attentionConsider ways your audience will

readMake sure you include all necessary

infoMake sure it’s short and sweet

Logo issues

Go online to find logosMake sure CSU CE logo is most

prominent for our eventsHave marketing staff review all

printed piecesAsk for help

Specialty products

We can order Plan at least two months in advance

to get best priceConsider ordering as a work team to

get bulk pricesCSU print shop may be able to

produce

Some of the year’s best headlines

Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers

Safety experts say school bus passengers should be belted

Teachers’ strike idle kidsEnraged cow injures farmer with axTwo sisters reunited after 18 years in

checkout counter

More headlines

Deer kill 17,000Red tape hold up new bridgesNew study of obesity looks for larger

test groupKids make nutritious snacksChef throws his heart into helping

feed needy