[NEohioPAL]Whilst on the subject of grammar, usage, etc.

Thu Aug 30 08:23:21 PDT 2007

Excellent points, Tony. Could I just add that it really pays to check =
deadlines? It's frustrating to get a press release days before a show =
opens - when our weekly paper is already on its way to the printer. And =
while I understand this has gotten more challenging as theaters have had =
to cut back and get by on fewer resources, if you can have a hi-res =
photo available (even if you have to stage a shot at an earlier =
rehearsal), that is so helpful and you've got an excellent shot at =
getting it run. Also, we NEVER hear from so many of you smaller =
theaters. While we can't guarantee every community theater show opening =
will be a calendar pick, certainly if you have something that sounds =
interesting and we have your information in hand, it could be!

Anastasia Pantsios
Associate Editor=20
Cleveland Free Times

> ----------
> From: 	neohiopal-admin at lists.fredsternfeld.com on behalf of TONY BROWN
> Sent: 	Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:50 PM
> To: 	neohiopal at lists.fredsternfeld.com
> Subject: 	[NEohioPAL]Whilst on the subject of grammar, usage, etc.
>=20
> Some of you might find this useful. It is not intended to be a =
criticism of anyone in particular, just a note that might serve you =
well, especially if you're looking for publicity out of the Plain Dealer =
or other major newspapers in the area.
>=20
> In casual e-mails, I agree, matters of style, spelling and grammar are =
not that important (unless the subject you're writing about might one =
day end up being published somewhere in a unflattering story or used in =
court against you, and your grammar would compound your troubles with =
embarrassment). E-mail is a dangerous thing, and the wisest would use it =
with caution.
>=20
> But if you're actually WANTING a paper to use something you're =
writing, you should be aware that we're short-handed due to increasing =
economic pressures and it would behoove you to get us the information in =
a form that doesn't require massive reworking.
>=20
> Spell-check your items. Give contact information, both for publication =
(we cannot publish items without a contact number) and for reporters to =
contact you with further questions. Give a ticket price spread (low to =
high), for we will not publish items without such information. Be =
concise (example: it's redundant to say evening performances are at 8 =
p.m., so skip the evening performances part, just say 8 p.m.; it's also =
redundant to say matinees are at 2 p.m. because if it's at 2 p.m. it's =
obviously a matinee; it's doubly redundant to say afternoon matinees are =
at 2 p.m.; it's triply redundant to say weekend afternoon matinees are =
at 2 p.m. Saturday; I hope you're getting the drift). On the other hand, =
don't be cryptic.
>=20
> If you really want to help yourselves get information in correctly and =
assuredly, look at the paper, and figure out how we do things. Such as: =
Never abbreviating the day of the week (Monday, not Mon.); always =
abbreviating the name of the month when used with a date (Sept. 12, not =
September 12), except for the months with five letters or fewer (April =
12, not Apr. 12); never abbreviate the month when not used with a date =
(September, not Sept.); do not add unneeded zeroes to times and prices =
($12 and 8 p.m., not $12.00 and 8:00 p.m.); note the style on a.m. and =
p.m. (NOT A.M. and P.M. or am and pm or AM and PM); note that we always =
put the time before the day and the day before the date, and the date =
before the venue, and the venue before the address, and the address =
before the city, because it's shorter and clearer (8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. =
12, at Barrel Full O' Monkeys Theatre, 345 Whoopee Blvd., Parma.); note =
that we include area codes with phone numbers, that we separate the =
numbers with hyphens, not parentheses, that we never use those clever =
spelt-out numbers, and we use the "1" or any other prefix unless it's an =
800 or 888 number or an overseas number (330-897-0946, 1-800-666-6666, =
011-44-87-29-46).>=20
>=20
> This is minutiae, true, and it's part of my job (and others who work =
here) to make sure this stuff is right; but you stand a far better =
chance with overworked journalist types if we don't have to fix every =
single detail of what you send.
>=20
> I could go on, but all you have to do is just look at the paper and =
see how we do things. Almost all major dailies have their quirks of =
style (we have our own stylebook at the PD), but they all pretty much =
hew to the AP Stylebook, which can be had online for $17.95 and at =
college bookstores for $10.95. Another useful volume, if you want to get =
an even better grip on how to write a press release (or a novel, or just =
a sentence you can be proud of having written), is Strunk and White's =
Elements of Style, which can be had in its fourth (and latest) edition =
for $9.95, or in its original edition for $3.95, both at amazon.com, or =
at any bookstore worth patronizing.
>=20
> On a technical note, you would do yourself a favor if you sent ONLY =
Microsoft Word document-attachments (word.docs for the =
computer-literate) or text-only document-attachments (XXX.txt) that can =
be generated on almost any computer using simple programs that often =
have names such as Notepad or Editpad or Notebook. Furthermore, never =
put anything in such documents other than text; no crazy formatting, no =
logo from your theater, no photos (those are done entirely through =
another process), just words and numbers. No spreadsheets, no pdf's, =
none of that crap. If all else fails, just put the information in the =
body of the e-mail itself.
>=20
> Finally, you will do yourself and us an immense service if you don't =
title your document-attachments "PRESS RELEASE." I mean, really. Think =
about if for a minute and just try to imagine how many press releases a =
journalist or clerk at the PD receives in a single day. If you want me =
to be able to recognize who the hell yours comes from or to what it =
pertains, do not call it "PRESS RELEASE." Call it "TAKE ME OUT" or =
something that will give me some clue as to what it contains. I already =
know it's a press release.
>=20
> Or, just ignore this entirely and take your chances.
>=20
> Tony  =20
>=20
>=20
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