Follow same style when you write a release. Write a strong leading paragraph with most critical information. Your first paragraph should answer main questions: who, what, where, when, why and how. This ensures that if editor decides to use just first few paragraphs, all information you want to convey gets printed.

Watch your Words Keep your release clutter-free. Use short, crisp sentences. Break up large chunks of text into short paragraphs. Research shows that paragraphs of 5-6 easily digestible lines help reader understand subject, even if it is complex.

Avoid buzzwords, jargons, technical language and acronyms. Be Balanced. Junk hyperbole. Fancy fonts and vivid colors are out. Editors prefer standard fonts like Arial (10 points) or Times New Roman (12 points).

Finally, do a word count. A good release says what it wants in less than 500 words.

Spice it up. Just a Little Include at least one hard-hitting quote in your press release. It's your best shot at getting into newspaper column space. Reporters would rather include a smart, concise quote in their story than give a lengthy explanation or summary.

Quotes are an opportunity to emphasize your key points, so quoting your CEO or top executive is a good idea. Supporting quotes from analysts and customers add credibility to announcement and key reporter in to fact that there are people available that they might be able to interview for a story.

Make yourself available Reporters like to dig for more information. They are always trying to find a "different slant". They may not want to print a standard press release. They are more likely to contact you for a personal quote or unpublished information. So, make it easy for them to contact you. In your release, include line, "For further information and clarifications, contact So-and-so." Give your contact information: phone, fax, email, and office address. And then, be available. And have some extra information to share.

Create a Press Kit The press kit includes a background piece, press releases, photos of your executives or your products, more story ideas, reprints of previous articles about your business, a list of customer references and anything else that media might find newsy or just be a simple fact sheet on you and your company. The media may not use everything you give them. But they will keep it for future reference. And it's a great way to build a relationship with press.

If you have got this far, you must have grasped secret by now. The trick to a compelling press release is very simple. Learn to think like a reporter. Put yourself in her shoes. Anticipate her needs. Then, write a release that answers her questions. Before she can ask them. Simple, isn't it?

Go grab headlines!

I find it excellent and powerful writing; but quite "heavy reading". What did you think of that style of writing?

How's this for an opening line for a novel?

"James walked into hotel and it was as if he was struck by a bolt of lightning. He instantly went into a state of shock, as past ten years of his life flashed through his mind, as in an instant replay. It was too much to all take in in a second. His legs began to tremble, as if they had turned into instant jelly. They could barely hold his slight frame, as he struggled with all his might to hold his body upright. Out of his numbness he could see seated at end of bar face of man that was indelibly printed on deepest recesses of his subconscious mind, striking features that had haunted him all those years. It was same mysterious man, who in an instant had turned his entire world upside down and consumed James's every waking thought for past decade."

Was that "a bit over-the-top" writing? "Did I need to say "mysterious man"? Do you want to read on?

Perhaps that could be first paragraph of my next book? Would you be interested in reading a book with a beginning, like that?

Or this one from my novel "Angolan Dawn"

"It was just getting light with that certain freshness in air of early morning. Albertina Kangombe saw figure of her husband Marcelino receding in distance down sandy track, walking slowly down gentle hill. She saw him turn around once to look at her but he could not see tears of sadness running down her face. She wondered when she would see her dear, strong husband again. He was a tall man but he became smaller and smaller as she saw him gradually receding into distance on that early January morning. And then he was gone...

Time to end off (I've done enough "work" re-writing this lesson) already....

Stimulate your imagination to fullest. then go with flow. Observe life and jot down notes about your thoughts and feelings . Then "make words dance to your tune".

"Don't spend your days, stringing your instrument - start making your own brand of music right NOW. "

See you next week, when we'll talk more about style and grammar. Oh no, not another boring lesson!

I hope this information may be helpful to you in your creative writing.

Happy writing