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Course Title:	Writing A Press Release
Instructor:	Gloria Oren
Curriculum:	5 units, plus Syllabus and Final Exam
Time Required:	4-5 weeks
Textbooks:	None
Prerequisites:	None. All students may enroll in this class
CEU Eligibility:	Students who pass an exam will earn 2 CEUs
Course Fee:	$15.00
Start Date:	No waiting...Enroll now and start learning today!

This short but indepth course explores the basics of how to write a press release. Participants will learn what a press release is, the role it can play for a business or a client, and important points to consider before sitting down to write a press release. The course will examine when and why to write a press release (and when not to bother), the nuts and bolts of structure and style, how to format a press release, and who to send the finished press release to so your story will be told.

The course will delve into the unspoken rules and time-proven techniques which can be used to help distinguish the writer's press release from the work of amateurs. Students will learn to use insider tips and tricks of the trade to complete a series of weekly homework challenges in which the objective is to write a high-quality press release that a newspaper or magazine editor will publish.

When you have completed this course, you should be able to:

• Know what a press release is and the role it performs for your business or that of a client
• Understand the meaning of "newsworthy" and write press releases which are interesting and relevant
• Correctly format a press release for either paper or electronic submission
• Target your presss releases to specific audiences that you want to reach
• Recognize the importance of a press release as a "sales letter" without resorting to hype
• Know when not to send a press release
• Understand the do's and don'ts of building contacts in the media
• Make your press release look and sound professional
• Correctly use headers, headlines, summaries, and datelines in your press releases
• Write an opening paragraph that is strong, interesting, and effective
• Properly format and distribute your press releases in a professional manner
• Know what journalists and editors want and don't want in a press release
• Use quotes, testimonials, and case studies to give your press releases credibility and "a human face"
• Create fresh and unique angles for your press releases
• Know what is meant by the "inverted pyramid style" of writing
• Recognize why it is important to "stick with the facts!"
• Research media outlets and develop a receptive audience for your press releases

Gloria Oren is a published author, editor, book reviewer and proofreader. She is an active member of several online writing groups including the Muse it Up Club and her local group, the Redmond Association of SPokenword (RASP) where she often participates in open mike gatherings. Gloria is moderator of the Alpha Musers critique group for nonfiction writers. She has had book reviews published in the Association of Jewish Librarians' Newsletter and currently posts many of them on her blog . Gloria won an honorable mention for her personal experience article submitted to a contest sponsored by Bylines Magazine and the same article was accepted for publication in the Thin Thread Stories anthology that is due out this fall.

Gloria is currently working on an autobiography about her life as an adoptee and the challenging, successful search that led to her reuniting with her birth mother and members of her paternal birth family.

In her daily life, Gloria wears many hats. She is a daughter, wife, mother of three, cancer survivor, reunited adoptee, baby boomer, oldest of ten birth siblings combined, raised as an only child, data entry clerk, avid reader and writer. Gloria writes non-fiction articles (personal experience, parenting, senior issues). Gloria and her family currently reside in Washington state.

Syllabus: Getting Started (Course Syllabus)

Unit 1: What is a Press Release?

Unit 2: When to Write a Press Release

Unit 3: How to Format a Press Release

Unit 4: What Makes a Good Press Release?

Unit 5: More on Writing Effective Press Releases

Unit 6: Final Exam

Enroll and start learning today! All course materials will be available when you start the class, so you don't have to wait for weekly lessons and you can truly learn at your own pace. You don't have to be online at any set time; study at your leisure from the comfort or your home or office.

The course curriculum will include tutorial lessons, suggested readings, and optional homework activities. If you are taking the class for enjoyment or self-enrichment, homework is optional but participation is encouraged. Students who approach online learning as an adventure and actively participate will derive the most benefit and enjoyment from online learning. Homework projects, if completed satisfactorily, will earn Extra Credit points which will be added to your Final Exam score and may increase the overall grade you earn in the course.

The Student Handbook provides useful information on how to make the most of your online learning experience at KSURF's Virtual University. Refer to this guide for helpful tips on how to access classrooms, post homework, and answers to most frequently asked questions.