There several alternatives to the news release, and by the time you complete this training, you'll be equipped to produce several of them!

For instance, you'll be able to create your own photos, infographics, and video that you can post directly to your website and social media channels. You can also share those with journalists, too. Some might choose to publish those directly.

You can also submit an op-ed to your local news organization to spread your message to a larger, more general audience.

Op-Eds are similar to white papers, written to persuade an audience. Most newspapers and news websites welcome these submissions and publish them in their Opinion pages/sections. Before you submit, get to know the publication you're writing for. Who reads it? How often is it published? What are that publication's specifications for readers' submissions? Most will have minimum and maximum word counts. Find out the process for submission, be it email, by post, etc.

Once you know those things, it's time to get writing!

As you write, you'll want to:

Throw objectivity out the window! You are trying to convince the reader to adopt your position. This is an opinion piece, be opinionated!
Start with a sentence that summarizes the primary point you're trying to make.
Write conversationally. You should write this as though you're having a debate with a friend.
Back up your opinions! Support your position with data, anecdotes and quotes from people involved. These will make your argument stronger.
Be concise. Just as when writing a news release, limit yourself to between 400-600 words. Some publications might allow you to go longer. Some might want it to be even shorter!
Edit and revise. Reread your work and make corrections for content and clarity. Ask a trusted colleague or friend to read it for you, too. Ask them where they might see weaknesses in your argument that you can make stronger. Have them proofread it for you (it's hard to spot your own spelling and grammar mistakes), and refine the document until you're certain you're at your final draft.
Submit! Don't panic if you don't hear back from the publication for a few days or weeks. Not every submission is published. Keep trying until you get your message out there!