The worst problem editor’s encounter when sifting through the stack of soon-to-be discarded press releases sitting on top of their desk is that most simply aren’t newsworthy. They lack all or most of the qualifications of being news: new, local, unique, relevant, and significant.

As the press release coordinator, it is your job to find the most newsworthy items your company is related to, and build on that topic. Certain items, such as the postal department’s clerk being promoted to assistant delivery person, is simply more suitable for a company newsletter or other in-house publication source.

An editor is going to look at that piece of information and wonder, “Why is he (or she) sending that to me?” You’ve then succeeded in wasting his time, and possibly aggravating him – not something you want to do if you ever come upon a really vital tidbit that might actually be important in his eyes. If he remembers your first submission, he might toss it in the trash before he even spends one second looking at the title.

Consider the timeliness of your release to the public. Are you trying to report about your new resume writing services when the unemployment rate is at an all-time high? That could be construed as positive or negative, so spin it accordingly ad in the best interest of the public.

Organize your message. Readers aren’t going to be happy if your message jumps around the page without a central theme. You want each audience member to grasp the intended focus of your thoughts, not arrive at a variety of conclusions because you didn’t develop your key ideas succinctly.

Bear in mind that your average news audience is middle aged, married, and a white-collar worker who normally spends 20-30 minutes a day focusing on the news. If a person reads one media form of news, it’s likely that they also pay attention to other forms as well.

However, since the schedules of white-collar workers (and blue-collar as well) are overloaded these days, the news is normally consumed on the run. As such, if you write your press release in a confusing, or too-formal tone, the reader will quickly move on to another story and skip yours altogether.

Don’t pile too much data onto your readers than they can handle. Your company might want to express twenty different things that are coming up in the near future, but the fewer items you put before your audience, the more likely they’ll be to act upon them in a way that you hope they will.

It’s not necessary to force the reader to search for clues about your message. It may seem cute, or stylish to write in a way that hints about several different topics, but keep in mind that your job is to deliver news, not a mystery. Your reader may end up frustrated and leave your article for a more organized one. Get to the point quickly, and add details later on.

Don’t talk above your reader’s head. There’s no need to write using complicated words, such as “erroneous,” when you could just say “wrong.” Cater to education backgrounds of all levels. Remember – many schools use media publications as learning tools.

Simplify words, sentences, and paragraphs, but don’t feel like you have to “dumb down” your news. Just avoid long, unfamiliar words that may make your reader pause for clarity.

Follow the mindset of Andy Rooney, whose commentaries are heard weekly near the end of each 60 Minutes segment. In his book, “Not That You Asked,” Rooney says he’s suspicious of writers who use words such as “launder” when they mean “wash,” or “inexpensive,” when they mean “cheap.” He’s perplexed at how writers can’t just be satisfied with the word “now,” insisting upon using “currently,” instead.

Avoid flowering your language so that each sentence overfills and drowns your reader. Shorter sentences are more powerful and catchy. Length does not guarantee a higher level of professionalism.

If anything, it detracts from it. Shorter sentences alleviate clutter, and relay your message to the audience faster. The more unnecessary words you eliminate, the better your chances of garnering the space you’re competing for in each publication.

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