![]() ![]() “Freelancers should always come with story ideas,” said Sarah Kessler, deputy editor of Quartz at Work. I’m glad you’ve thought so much about your topic, but don’t forget to think of the actual story you’re telling.Įven worse: You want me to tell you what your story is. The most common variant is this: “Hi, I’m a freelance writer and I’m interested in covering for your section.” I’m glad you’re interested, but…what’s the story?Īnother version is the super-lengthy email pitching a meandering, unfocused “look,” “exploration,” or “deep dive” into a topic. But we can’t help you if you don’t know what you’re pitching. Most editors are willing to take a chance on a great story idea, even from a new writer - 75 percent of the stories I commissioned last year were from first-time New York Times writers. After consulting with about a dozen editors who commission stories at publications ranging from small, niche blogs to national magazines and newspapers, I’ve pulled together the six most common mistakes freelancers make when pitching - and what you can do to impress an editor. (I, for one, love when I get an ~out there~ or innovative story idea.)īut most bad pitches are bad for the same few reasons, and they’re often salvageable with some tweaking. So don’t be shy about getting weird sometimes. ![]() And especially as news outlets are evolving in their approaches to digital storytelling, publications are increasingly open to nontraditional storytelling structures. Pitches get turned down for countless reasons - you pitched the wrong outlet, the wrong editor, your idea wasn’t fully fleshed out, the timing wasn’t right, etc. September 6, 2018Before we go on, it’s worth remembering: A bad pitch is not the same thing as a bad story idea. ![]()
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