Nearly every topic is covered in a newspaper. Journalists and editors are always looking for any message or event that is unique, interesting, innovative and otherwise newsworthy. Newspapers are always seeking a new approach, an intriguing twist or additional details.

Newspapers will rarely print "old" news that has been reworked, rewritten or re-edited. But a "re-slanted" article might find its way into the pages. Pitch a snappy story that is full of new and improved features, newly discovered benefits or anything that is timely and unique.

See if you can fit your story into one of the traditional hot buttons: children and pets, road improvements, cost of living and market fluctuation, home ownership or improvements, health care, employment, or current trends. Can you make your message or even a subheading fall into one of these categories?

Start looking at the newspaper in a different way. Read it as a publicist would. A publicist reads the newspaper with an observer's eye, asking:

• Why did this particular story make it on the front page?
• Why is the reporter writing about this company or product?
• Where is the "news" in each story?
• What was the news "hook" used to get the editor's attention for this story?

Once you start reading the newspapers in this manner, you'll begin to see how the news makes it into print. Now let's consider the two major types of news that are found in most daily and weekly newspapers

1. Hard News
   Hard news is what makes it onto the front page, particularly those breaking news stories that are printed above the fold of the newspaper. ("Above the fold" refers to the news at the top of the page, literally above the middle fold.) This is the news that gets top priority. The attention-getting headlines announce the major stories. The focus is immediately on the who, what, when, where, why and how of the story.
2. Soft News
   In addition to the breaking hard news stories, newspapers are filled with soft or feature articles that are not as time-sensitive as hard news and are often more detailed. These features will often fall into the general interest category and tend to be written for a widespread audience.

If you tap into your creative side, you can pitch your ideas in an innovative manner to capture the interest of editors and reporters. Just remember that they want information that will keep the reader's attention, so don't push your specific product in the article. Editors and reporters know that if you can attract their attention, you'll be able to excite their audiences and motivate readers to turn the pages of their newspaper. Put your byline at the bottom and send the reader to your Web site by offering free tips on how they can do something better.