ASLU 031: The Best Pitching Tips For Writers
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In Episode 31 of the podcast, Gabby Peyton shares all her pitching secrets both as a writer and journalist and as a former magazine editoran editor. Whether you're pitching newspapers, magazines, websites or your dream publication, this episode is packed with pitching tips for writers.
We’re going to be talking about how to catch an editor’s eye and pique their interest, the best places to connect with other writers, journalists and editors (it’s not where you might think!), how to keep track of who you’ve pitched, how to gather contact information, where and how to get your story ideas, how to deal with rejections (because there’s a lot of it!) and so much more.
Gabby generously shares her wealth of knowledge and expertise in this episode when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer. Whether you’re just starting out with a writing career, or you’ve been writing for your own website and now you want to expand to other publications, or you’re a seasoned pro, I’m sure you’ll find a few nuggets of information here that will help you get better at the pitching process!
Listen To the Episode
Here’s a direct link to Episode 31 - or you can listen via the players below:
So… you want to be a writer. But how do you get your work seen? And better yet, how do you get paid for your writing? It’s one thing to be a good or even great writer, it’s another thing to get your work in front of people. And that’s what we’re talking about this week.
You can start a blog - that’s one way to get your writing out into the world with no gatekeepers to stop you. But you still have to figure out a way to get people to come to your blog and read your work. Or, you can get your writing into other publications - be they magazines, newspapers or other websites. But, for that to happen, you have to convince somebody that you have something important to say, that what you have to say is important to their audience and, that you’re capable of saying it with articulate and interesting writing.
Where Do You Start?
So where do you even start when you’re ready to start pitching. The first thing you’ll want to do is start introducing yourself to potential editors and other writers. But, before we dive into introductions, let’s talk about the overall pitching process and what you need to be prepared for:
pitching takes up a tremendous amount of time for professional writers - recognize that you may spend up to 75-80% of your time pitching or prepping pitches.
part of prepping pitches requires a lot of research - both into the publication you want to write for you and for the article you want to pitch
longer articles that you pitch will require more up front research before submitting your pitch than shorter “listicle” type articles
you will hear a lot of “no’s”. That’s normal.
Introduce Yourself
If you’re new on the freelance writing scene or if you’ve changed niches or you’re simply trying to connect with an editor you’ve never interacted with before, introduce yourself!
Right now, email is probably the best way to make that introduction but in safer times, you can also attend networking events, press events and other gatherings where editors and fellow writers might be in attendance.
Reach out to a new editor, introduce yourself, tell them what you write about and let them know you’d love to contribute and….ask them for their pitching guidelines! This also gives an editor an opportunity to let you know if they’re even accepting pitches right now or if six months from now might be better. That can save you all that work of pitching only to have it rejected because they weren’t accepting new pitches.
Keep it short - you don’t need to send a 500 word bio about yourself and don’t send a form letter. Instead, personalize your email to the person you’re connecting with and their publication.
Introducing yourself is a great way to get on an editor’s radar, it keeps you out of their spam folder and it means you don’t need to include all the bio information in future pitches.
Pitching Guidelines
Most major publications will have pitching guidelines - they may even be posted on their website (try doing a quick google search “magazine ABC pitching guidelines). Before you pitch, inquire about them - it shows you’re doing your research! Once you have the guidelines, follow them.
Spell Their Name Right
Double, triple and quadruple check that you spelled the editor’s name correctly and you got the name of the publication right. It sounds simple but it’s shocking how often people can’t get those two very basic, simple steps right. Double check all your emails for spelling and grammar - remember, you’re a writer! Show you have the basic skills mastered!
Grab Their Attention
When you reach out to an editor via email, your one job is to grab their attention. Remember that most editors are on their phones these days and don’t have time to scroll and scroll through a long email trying to find out what it is you’re pitching.
have a hook. put the story idea and the angle in the first few sentences of your pitch - think back to high school English and consider this to be your thesis statement where you will show the reader what the article will be about.
show you’ve done your research on the topic and the publication
tell them why you are the right person to write this particular story or article (ie don’t give them your standard bio)
keep it short and be succinct - a paragraph is all you need
Provide a Story Angle
One mistake a lot of inexperienced writers make when they’re first starting out is pitching a topic idea and not a story angle.
For instance, telling an editor you want to write a story about pizza in Italy is a topic - and a very broad one at that. But if you tell that same editor you want to write a story about a specific Italian nonna who has been pizza making in her little Naples kitchen for 50 years and these are the lessons she has to share, then you have a story angle.
Come up with a specific location or person or angle that you want to take on your topic and pitch that instead of a broad topic. What will make your pizza article different from all the other pizza articles out there?
Show You’ve Done Your Research
You don’t want to pitch or submit an entire article but you do want to show a potential editor that you’ve done at least some research on the topic. Let them know who you would like to interview on the subject and the key points or takeaways you’ll be touching on.
Also make sure you do your research on the publication you are pitching to. Check out their website, review their back issues for the last few years and make sure you are not pitching an idea that’s already been written about in the recent past! Pitching an idea that’s been written about recently will result in an automatic no - and it shows you haven’t really connected with the publication and their content.
Getting Rejected
Getting rejected is part of the job when you’re a freelance writer. The vast majority of your pitches will be rejected. This can sound so incredibly discouraging… but wait!
Gabby keeps a spreadsheet every year of all the pitches she has sent out along with notes on whether or not the pitch was accepted or rejected. She can track her pitch rejection rate every year. Some years, as many as 90% of her pitches are rejected. Others it’s 80%. In one of her best year, her rejection rate was 50%. That all means she has hear the word “no” a lot!
This is why pitching is such a time consuming process - because so many of your ideas just won’t go anywhere and you have to keep putting new ones out there.
It’s OK When They Say No
No doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. It doesn’t mean the editor doesn’t like you and it’s not a reflection on your self-worth.
In most instances it’s the story idea that’s being rejected. The pitch really is about the story and if you pitch a story that’s not a good fit for that publication, or the timing isn’t good, or they already have a similar piece in the pipeline, or it just doesn’t fit their current editorial calenadar, you’ll hear a no. Even the most experienced and well-know writers hear the word no frequently!
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback - but don’t be upset if you don’t get any. Most editors will try to give you feedback if they have time. Take that feedback constructively and use it as a learning experience.
Don’t be afraid to pitch the same publication again. It keeps your name in front of the editor. And, editorial teams and direction change all the time. Next time, your timing and idea might be perfect.
Be Open To Pivoting
You may find that there are times where your pitch is almost there, but not quite. This is when the editorial team will come back to you and suggest some changes. For some writers, this can be hard - especially if you have an emotional attachment to the story. But be open to pivoting or tweaking and try not to be too emotionally tied to your original pitch. Remember - you’re writing for their audience so you may have to be flexible if you want to get the gig.
The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid In Your Pitch
Here’s some mistakes you don’t want to make when you pitch an editor:
Don’t send the pitch as an attachment
spell the editor’s name correctly
make sure the publication hasn’t published a piece about the same topic recently (at least 12 months but up to 3 years).
not doing your research
your topic is too broad
your pitch is too vague (ie, I have a great idea I’d like to write for you… end of pitch)
sending a fully written article with your pitch
hearing the word “no”
…is not a reflection on your self-worth. Nor does it mean people don’t like you.
Coming Up With Story Ideas
When you have to pitch a lot, as most writers do, continuously coming up with fresh story ideas may seem daunting. And do you come up with the ideas first and then try to find a home for them or, do you choose a publication you really want to write for and try to come up with an idea that’s perfect for them. Or is it a combo of both?
Gabby says it’s a mishmash of both. When she wanted to write for Eater, she knew that a lot of their content was structured in a specific way so, she knew she had to come up with an idea, that would be a good fit for that particular writing style (which she did!). When the topic of root cellars in Newfoundland really piqued her attention she knew she wanted to write about it but in that case, she had to do her research and find a publication where it would be a good fit.
BE CURIOUS
Part of what keeps Gabby going is natural curiosity about the world around her and that’s a key part of being a writer in any genre. Ask questions, wonder why things are where they are or how they got there. Ask yourself who was behind that and if I could talk to them, what would I ask them. How does something work. Go outside, talk to people, visit new places, try new things, walk a different route to work.
Set aside research time every week where you can deep dive into things that have caught your attention and don’t be afraid to fall down a few rabbit holes. Dig, dig, dig. You never know what you might find.
A good pitch will also make an editor curious. And editors want to make their readers curious. So lean into your own natural curiosity and ask questions!
Tracking Your Pitches
It’s crucial that you track your pitches as you send them out. This helps you keep track of who you sent an idea to, whether or not it was accepted, rejected or sitting in limbo. It also helps you keep track of whether or not you’ve already sent that pitch to that editor.
Gabby keeps a yearly spreadsheet that includes the editor’s name, their email address, publication name, the topic she pitched, when she pitched it, how quickly they responded, whether they said yes or no and then the next steps.
At any given time, you may have multiple pitches out waiting on responses. Tracking helps you stay organized and gives you data to analyze as you move forward.
Don’t Double Pitch
Don’t send the same pitch out to multiple editors at the same time. It can make things confusing and awkward for everyone. Give an editor time to respond to a pitch before you pitch it to somebody new.
However, you can take a topic like root cellars and pitch it in different ways to different editors. For instance you might pitch a story on the history of root cellars to a culinary history publication (yes, they exist). But you might pitch a travel publication at the same time about visiting Elliston, Newfoundland, the capitol of root cellars in Newfoundland, as a travel piece. Or you could pitch a local publication an idea for a piece about an old man you met while visiting Elliston root cellars and his story and personal connection to root cellars. Same base topic, multiple different story angles.
Keep A Contact Database
Pitching requires a lot of contact information and it’s important to keep track of all that information. Gabby keeps a separate spreadsheet with the names and email addresses of editors as well as the publications they work for. If she finds a new name or publication while she’s doing her research that might be a good fit for her content, she adds them to the list - even if she doesn’t have a pitch idea for them at this time.
Editors do move around so you’ll also want to update your contact sheet from time to time and check that as many names as possible are current!
How Do You Find Niche Publications and new contacts to Write For?
Gabby and many other writers we’ve spoken to highly recommend Twitter as a great place to find publications, editors and other journalists. Following editors on Twitter can help you connect with other editors as many of them will do “call for pitches” or help other editors out by sharing their “call for pitches”. If an editor you follow shares a call for pitch from another editor you don’t know, that’s another contact you can potentially add to your database!
Magazine mastheads usually have all the editors listed (usually the masthead is at the front of the publications or a few pages in) and their email addresses and even their twitter or instagram handles. Following and especially interacting on social media is another great way to get your name in front of an editor. Also note that larger magazines may have multiple editors for different departments - if you’re pitching a fashion article, pitch the fashion editor. If it’s a food article, pitch the food editor.
Take a few hours each month to deep dive into finding new publications and connecting with them. Check out social media, your local bookstore or even the library to find new titles. Also check out bookshops when you travel. Local magazines may not have wide distribution so you might find a few gems on your travels.
Twitter Is Not Dead - Not If You’re a Writer
Gabby calls Twitter her “work social media” because it really is where the writing community congregates. If you’re more used to Facebook and Instagram and have written Twitter off, time to get tweeting!
Twitter is where you can share links to the articles you’ve worked on, share the links of other writers and journalists and interact with editors. It’s where the news outlets are most active. News outlets don’t just take news stories - they will take sports, arts, life, beauty, fashion and lifestyle pieces as well. Most editors, writers and journalists will have personal accounts where they will tweet out their calls for pitches or research assistance.
Following hashtags like #calltopitch or #wheretopitch can also get you notified of opportunities to pitch editors looking for writers or stories or help you find a home for a story idea you want to get out there.
Linked In can also be helpful for more content driven writing for websites so you might want to brush up your Linked In profile as well.
It Does Get Easier!
As you pitch more, you may find yourself getting some regular gigs with a few publications. This can make the pitching process much simpler. Once the relationship with an editor has developed to the point where you’re working together regularly and they know your style and trust your content, your pitches might be a simple three line email.
You may also find that those same editors will pitch you! If they need an article on a certain topic and they know that you always write great content that fits their readership, they’ll come directly to you with a request.
Resources mentioned In the episode
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