Business Writing

Press Release Format and Structure Explained With Examples

Published by Evolang

https://evolang.info/business-writing/press-releases/press-release-format-and-structure-explained

Evolang.info article flagged and corrected by an internal fact-check sweep for fabricated citations, quotes, dates, or statistics.

Corrected & verified
1 contributor 1 recorded contribution 1 correction

Who created and checked this page

Correction

Emir BaycanExpert Contributor

Correction history

Every accepted correction to this page is recorded with the exact change, so readers can see how the page improved over time.

  1. 19 July 2026 · corrected by Emir Baycan

    Fabricated direct quote attributed to Ann Handley from 'Everybody Writes' - this exact quote could not be verified in the actual book or any secondary source.; Fabricated direct quote attributed to Josh Bernoff from 'Writing Without Bullshit' - this exact quote could not be verified in the actual book or any secondary source.; Fabricated direct quote attributed to 'Stephen Pinker' (misspelled; real name is Steven Pinker) from 'The Sense of Style' - this exact quote could not be verified.

    Before

    <blockquote> <p>&quot;A press release is a strange literary form. It is written for one reader who will never be thanked if the piece runs well, and who will be blamed by someone if it does not.&quot; Ann Handley, Everybody Writes</p> </blockquote> [...] <blockquote> <p>&quot;The headline on a press release has one job: tell the reporter what the news is in enough specificity that they can decide if it fits. Everything else is self-indulgence.&quot; Josh Bernoff, Writing Without Bullshit</p> </blockquote> [...] <blockquote> <p>&quot;The category of the release is the first clue to the reporter about how to shape the story. A release that does not signal its category forces the reporter to invent one, which most will not bother to do.&quot; Stephen Pinker, The Sense of Style</p> </blockquote>

    After

    <p>A press release is a strange literary form in this sense: it is written for one reader (the reporter) who will never be thanked if the piece runs well, and who may be blamed internally if it does not.</p> [...] <p>The headline on a press release really has one job: tell the reporter what the news is with enough specificity that they can decide if it fits their beat. Everything else is secondary.</p> [...] <p>The category of a release is often the first clue to the reporter about how to shape the story. A release that does not clearly signal its category forces the reporter to invent one, which most will not bother to do.</p>

    Why: Fabricated direct quote attributed to Ann Handley from 'Everybody Writes' - this exact quote could not be verified in the actual book or any secondary source.; Fabricated direct quote attributed to Josh Bernoff from 'Writing Without Bullshit' - this exact quote could not be verified in the actual book or any secondary source.; Fabricated direct quote attributed to 'Stephen Pinker' (misspelled; real name is Steven Pinker) from 'The Sense of Style' - this exact quote could not be verified.

    View the full record →

Full contribution timeline

  1. Correction 19 July 2026

    Emir Baycan: Fabricated direct quote attributed to Ann Handley from 'Everybody Writes' - this exact quote could not be verified in the actual book or any secondary source.; Fabricated direct quote attributed to Josh Bernoff from 'Writing Without Bullshit' - this exact quote could not be verified in the actual book or any secondary source.; Fabricated direct quote attributed to 'Stephen Pinker' (misspelled; real name is Steven Pinker) from 'The Sense of Style' - this exact quote could not be verified.

    Proof record →