How to create editor-friendly content
If we’ve said it once we’ve said it a million times: content is king.
Whilst books are changing to screens; good quality, grammatical and interesting content NEVER goes out of fashion. Yes, some parts of the Internet have become a dumping ground for drivel but most people would still rather read something with substance and style and this should always be remembered when writing for publication.
However, when you’ve succeeded in creating an interesting, stylish piece, you’ll want to get it in an equally interesting and stylish publication which means convincing an editor that your piece is worthy of publishing first. In addition to the common sense rules about creating good quality content, there are things that you can do to make your piece editor-friendly:
- Don’t assume that because you find something interesting, an editor will too.
- Communicate the story. This is what will people find interesting. Even if you’re in B2B, this often involves human-interest stories, tales of cost saving, ‘firsts’, topical issues, facts and figures or new research.
- Be as informative and objective as possible. Only put opinions in quotes or by-lined articles. This isn’t an advert, it’s an editorial.
- Be as clear as possible, don’t obscure your meaning with fluff or puffed up language. Ensure any technical details and statistics are accurate, and the text is grammatical – you don’t want an editor to have to work to make your piece publish-able.
- Conform to the appropriate format. If it’s an article, is it a technical article or a customer case study? If it’s a press release, is it a news piece, an official statement, product PR or contract PR? Presenting a piece in the right format will make it easier for the editor to decide where to place it.