Image by topgold via Flickr

Some emerging artists maintain a fantasy that someone will search the web for details and put together news about them. They may even expect this and assume that is how things will happen for them. When asked for a press release or if they have a news room, in comes the attitude! They don’t have time, don’t want to “sell out”(!?) or “become corporate”(!?).

Guess what?! Your good friend, spouse, partner or a paid assistant might search the web about you and put together a news room for you but why would a news writers do all that work for free? If you want press coverage–whether an article published in a traditional print newspaper or magazine, or an online article by a contributing writer for Yahoo! or Technorati news or for a blog, then you will need to provide lots of new and up-to-date information to the writer!

Become a Press Friendly Artist (article details news rooms and why you should have one and how to get a news room).

Another assumption some emerging artists make is that news writers rehashing old content found online and turn that into an article. Wrong! Guess what news writers need? News! That news may be your exhibit, open studio, new CD or DVD, your new book, the competition you won, your fascinating art-making technique, a new project, a new website community,a new shop, a new product, etc.

Any news article writer appreciates receiving a press release! All your details should be in a press release. (It is far too time consuming for the writer of any article to track down details about an artist! It is unrealistic to ask them to do so). Send your press release so the writer can formulate and ask questions from the information in the press release.  If you have news you should write a press release and send it out to all appropriate contacts. If you send out a press release it is likely that you will get an article published about your art that will bring you valuable exposure, attention, and increased sales.