Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

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Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

• Writing Workshop
• Oct. 25, 2006

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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.

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Goals for today

• Learn news writing basics
• Discuss CSU guidelines
• How to work with your media
• Promotional writing tips

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News writing basics

• News writing is different from other kinds of
  writing.
• Different types of news writing
• Hard news
• Community briefs
• Features

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Hard news

• 5 Ws
• Inverted pyramid
• Editor decides whats news
• Impact
• Timeliness
• Proximity
• Prominence
• Human interest

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Community briefs

• Non commercial
• Announcements
• Classes
• Programs
• Availability of information
• New leadership
• Items of broad interest

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Just the facts

• Keep it short
• Keep it factual
• Make it understandable
• Make sure its complete

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Basics

• AP style
• Spell out numbers from one to ten
• Check for abbreviations
• Time 7 p.m. or 930 a.m. or noon
• Date May 1, 2004 (not May 1st)
• Names
• Titles

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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

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New release format

• Contact information
• Date and when to release
• Headline
• Dateline
• Body of release
• 1 margins all around, 12 pt. type, 1 ½ line
  spacing

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News writing

• Short sentences
• Very clear, avoid complex sentences
• Accurate, double check all facts
• Enough detail to answer most questions
• Objective
• Any opinion must be in a quote from a named
  source.

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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

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Tips

• Dont use !
• Dont end a sentence with etc.
• Beware of sentence fragments
• Make sure you have noun and verb agreement
• Edit to get rid of unnecessary words
• Avoid the passive voice

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More tips

• That and Which
• That is restrictive
• Which adds a fact
• Double check your its and its whose and whos
• to, too
• More than, over less than, under

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Colorado State University guidelines

• We never use CSU
• We are Colorado State University Cooperative
  Extension
• Use Colorado State to refer to the University on
  subsequent references
• Always use Cooperative Extension not Extension
  Service or Extension
• Graphic standards manual is online

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Working with the media

• Know your target audience and the media they use
• Know your target media read, listen, watch,
  switch around
• Know their deadlines
• Send information to correct editor by name and
  title

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Media

• We provide, they use or not
• We dont get to preview
• Can track articles online with some publications
• Try to maintain a publicity notebook for each
  event

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Promotional writing

• Brochures
• Flyers
• Postcards
• Advertising
• Posters
• Bookmarks
• Magnets

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Advertising copywriting

• Different from news writing
• Designed to grab attention
• Consider ways your audience will read
• Make sure you include all necessary info
• Make sure its short and sweet

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Logo issues

• Go online to find logos
• Make sure CSU CE logo is most prominent for our
  events
• Have marketing staff review all printed pieces
• Ask for help

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Specialty products

• We can order
• Plan at least two months in advance to get best
  price
• Consider ordering as a work team to get bulk
  prices
• CSU print shop may be able to produce

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Some of the years best headlines

• Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers
• Safety experts say school bus passengers should
  be belted
• Teachers strike idle kids
• Enraged cow injures farmer with ax
• Two sisters reunited after 18 years in checkout
  counter

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More headlines

• Deer kill 17,000
• Red tape hold up new bridges
• New study of obesity looks for larger test group
• Kids make nutritious snacks
• Chef throws his heart into helping feed needy

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