8 writing tips for young PR pros

Writing is a cornerstone of all that we do as PR professionals.

To become a PR pro, many of us (like me) attended journalism school—where the PR program resides at some universities—or took journalism courses. That gives you an idea of how important writing is to the PR industry.

At my alma mater, all PR majors were required to spend a couple of semesters writing for the student newspaper. This taught us to think like a reporter—ask questions, interview more than one source and make sure to accurately quote our sources. This training serves PR pros well in their work with both reporters and clients.

Whether or not you had the experience I did, many young PR pros want to know how to improve their writing. Here are a few tips:

1. Don’t create a perfect first draft. Just get the words out. You can go back to perfect it later, but it’s important to get all the information on paper first.

2. Write when the mood strikes you. There are times during the day that are generally better than others when it comes to focused writing. However, sometimes an idea will just hit you—that’s the time to go with it.