AP Style

Press releases are written differently than most publications.  There is a specific format that almost all PR practitioners and journalists use and that the Associated Press style also known as AP style.   By using AP style PR practitioners save time and money.  No one wants to spend time editing press releases when they can just choose a press release that’s already written in a correct format.  Time is money and the more time they need to spend editing a press release the less the press release is worth to them.  Creating a press release that is in AP style improves the chances that the press release will actually be used.  

When researching AP style I found that the most efficient way to follow AP style is to use the most updated version of The Associated Press Stylebook if the updated version is not available or you are short on time another great option is visiting http://web.ku.edu/~edit/ap15.htm. The site provides a short listing of words/phrases/terms that are often misused or misspelled.   For example dates and times vary depending on how it is being referred to.  The AP Stylebook is also available online http://www.apstylebook.com/ for those who do not have the time to go to a bookstore or wait for shipping.  Companies can also create a stylebook of their own if they follow different rules.  It is important to keep in mind that although it can be a pain to write in AP style it is necessary.  http://lcctorch.messageforums.net/topic31-the-basics-of-associated-press-style.html does a great job of explain what exactly AP style is and why it is necessary.  I myself didn’t understand the “hype” until I read some of the comments on the site.

AP style is difficult to get used to and can change.  But once basic concepts are understood the rest comes easy.  It’s hard to remember everything which is why I’ve found keeping an updated Stylebook on hand.  I had actually purchased one before taking this class because I wanted to prepare myself for the PR world.  It was a great investment.