1. Target readers are not experts in gallery or museum culture – so don’t use jargon, or any terms that non-specialists would misunderstand.
2. As with all writing for the web, keep sentences and paragraphs short. News stories should be 250-300 words in length, features 500-700 words and exhibition stories 400-600 words.
3. Images are vital for our stories. Phone a relevant press office concerned with your story and ask them to send digital images to: newsdesk@24hourmuseum.org.uk. The images should be JPEG files and should not be too large to email. Most press offices should know what you mean when you ask for this. Make sure that you also ask for captions, which should include who to credit for the use of the pictures. Don’t leave it too late to get pics!
4. If you can’t get them to send digital files, ask for prints or transparencies. These should be sent to us at: 24 Hour Museum, 5 Frederick Terrace, Brighton, BN1 1AX.
5. Structure: in simple news or exhibition stories, in the first two paragraphs keep to the usual Who, What, Where, When, Why and How formula.
6. All our stories are archived so it is really important to include exhibition dates, venues and titles in the first two paragraphs of your review.
7. After the first two pars get in a quote. Make it simple and direct. This brings the story alive. Make your first quote count.
8. Keep it informal and friendly. Don’t be afraid to use humour, if appropriate.
9. When you think you are finished – double-check all your spellings and the facts in the story.
10. Go through the copy and cut out all unnecessary floppy language – don’t say ‘several’, tell us how many exactly. Don’t say ‘the actual bus used by the cup winning team’, say ‘the bus used by the cup winning team.’
11. Don’t write the date like this – ‘April the 17th.’ Write it like this – ‘April 17’
12. Don’t describe anyone as ‘the’ painter David Hockney – call him ‘painter’ David Hockney.
13. Submit your copy as a Word file attachment and in the body of the email - just in case we can’t read your files.
14. Always ask experts in the museums and galleries to explain to you things you don’t understand – and tell them you are doing the story for a general audience – it’ll help!
15. Always ring the venue for an exhibition in a gallery or museum and tell them you are covering their event for 24 HM – you should be able to get free entry by arrangement with their press officer.
16. All stories submitted that are agreed ahead with the editor get published – so you get a chance to build up a great online portfolio!
17. We put up a new exhibition story everyday and schedule up to a month in advance. So if you have agreed a deadline please try to stick to it, especially if you have been sent to a press view as we like to be first with the story. If for any reason you can’t make an event or deadline then let us know as far in advance as possible so that we can reschedule.
18. We were all NCTJ trainees here, so we know what you must be feeling like when you phone up with a story. Don’t be nervous, we’re here to get content, and we need your ideas and writing. We’ll help you actively to get some work up on the web.
