Lead into quote with your own text. Example: Precede quote with "These events provide both teachers and aspiring writers a rare opportunity to talk with highly respected experts in the craft."

Use a complete sentence before a colon. Example: "The event will feature five writers:"

verbalize the "be" verb. Example: Use "Hopes lives in" instead of "is a resident of";  use "wrote" instead of "is author of"

Use active voice. Example: change "she has been published in the AWP Awards series" to "The AWP awarded her first book the AWP first-book prize" or "she published her first book in the AWP Award series."

-more- Note correct use of end-of-page format. 

Use consistent font for titles. Use either italics or underlining for book, play, and magazine titles; use quotes for article, poem, and story titles. 

Put information about sponsors in the last paragraph of the press release. 

"located in" is a red flag: redundant. 

Don't abbreviate. 

"free of charge" is redundant. 

Make sure facts appear correct: many press releases implied that the roundtable was also at 7:30 PM, when in fact it happens at 3:30. 

Avoid expletives. Verbalize action. Example: Change "There will be a reception after the reading" to "A reception will follow the reading." Change "It is a great opportunity for North Carolina teachers to meet writers" to "North Carolina teachers will appreciate the opportunity to meet writers"

Use the third person for Press Releases. Avoid informal uses of "you" or "we." 

Mispelling anything spells trouble for you and for your changes of publication. But never misspell the name of the authors!