The Hook

A story's "hook" is what makes your press release newsworthy. It needs to be more than "Hey, we're game developers with a cool new game! Check out our Web site for more cool stuff!" That is not a hook. There are hundreds of game developers who all believe their game is cool and should be checked out. Not only is that not a newsworthy story, it doesn't provide the news editor reading your e-mail with enough information to even care about learning your story.

To find your hook, think about what makes your company unique. If you're a new game developer, what is it about your game or the team behind your game that makes your story newsworthy? Perhaps the team left a particularly well-known company to develop your game? Maybe you're developing a game that has an innovative aspect—or at least an aspect you can make sound innovative.

The hook can also be something as simple as the release of the game's demo, the fact that the game has "gone gold," or that a certain band will be contributing to the game soundtrack. The point is that there is a point to the story, not just a general "check us out."