The KISS Principle
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 03:05PM 
We all heard the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) in English classes growing up. This teaching tool reminded us to avoid unnecessarily complex language and convey our message in crisp, clear grammar. When proof-reading your press releases, look for opportunities to break up long sentences (over 20 words) into shorter ones. Keep in mind that your releases will be read on a computer screen as well as in print. Short sentences are easier to read and digest. That said, it's also good to vary sentence structure. Too many short choppy sentences distract the reader and your message may get lost.
Paragraphs in newspaper stories are rarely more than two sentences long because today's busy readers resist large blocks of print. Use the same approach when writing press releases!
