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- Keep it short! Don't e-mail me a press release that would print out to six pages! (Believe it or not, that's happened!) Just give me enough so I can decide whether or not I'm interested.

- Include all your info in the body of the message. *Don't ever* send a press release as an attachment. There's never any point to that.

- If you have a lot of info on the topic you're pitching, put it on a web site and include the URL in your press release. Pages of detail information can be organized and presented much better on a web site than in an e-mail. If I want the info, I can visit your site, and web presentation would probably serve me much better than scrolling through a long e-mail.

- Give me a way to get off your PR list if I'm not interested -- and honor my request!

Just my two cents. Other journalists/editors may have other opinions.

Amy Gahran is the creator and editor of CONTENTIOUS: The monthly web-zine for writers and editors who create content for online media. Check it out on the web at: http://www.contentious.com