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this is how many pitches i got in the 2 weeks since i put out a call for service pitches (okay minus like 60 that were already there)
not to call anyone out, but here are a few things i'm seeing a lot of that you can avoid in your pitches to help you sell your stories
/thread
not to call anyone out, but here are a few things i'm seeing a lot of that you can avoid in your pitches to help you sell your stories
/thread
many, many, many emails pitching ideas rather than stories. often looks like this:
"I would like to write about the impact of covid on X." ok! but there isn't a thing in the world that *hasn't* been impacted by covid. why is the impact here interesting or newsworthy?
"I would like to write about the impact of covid on X." ok! but there isn't a thing in the world that *hasn't* been impacted by covid. why is the impact here interesting or newsworthy?
lots of this: "i know you said you aren't looking for X, but ..."
nope! the reason i said i'm not looking for X is that i'm not looking for X!
nope! the reason i said i'm not looking for X is that i'm not looking for X!
when i wrote this pitching guide for nieman ( https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/how-to-successfully-pitch-the-new-york-times-or-well-anyone-else/) this was one of the most common pet peeves among the editors i interviewed:
"i saw your call for pitches on twitter. i am available for assignments, feel free to email me with stories you're looking for"
"i saw your call for pitches on twitter. i am available for assignments, feel free to email me with stories you're looking for"
pitching stories that were great in march/april but not in july
e.g.: how to set up your WFH situation; how to be better on video calls; why you should wear a mask; how to clean XYZ; how to cut your own hair; how to do social distancing
(i got all of these last week)
e.g.: how to set up your WFH situation; how to be better on video calls; why you should wear a mask; how to clean XYZ; how to cut your own hair; how to do social distancing
(i got all of these last week)
in general, pitching stories i ran last week; stories nowhere near my coverage areas; 800-word pitches no one will ever read; full drafts of stories
i'm not just complaining here, avoiding these pitfalls will help you sell your story, and that's the whole point!!!!!
i'm not just complaining here, avoiding these pitfalls will help you sell your story, and that's the whole point!!!!!
(i promise promise promise with 100% absolute certainty that if you write an 800-word pitch you are writing it for yourself because there isn't an editor in the world who is going to read it)
anyway, that's it. if you made one of these mistakes, don't worry! REALLY!!!!!
none of these are disqualifying mistakes, and you can always try again with another pitch. (truly!! editors don't remember emails they got this morning, much less a pitch you sent two weeks ago!!!!)
none of these are disqualifying mistakes, and you can always try again with another pitch. (truly!! editors don't remember emails they got this morning, much less a pitch you sent two weeks ago!!!!)
before you send your next pitch, read these, i promise they will help:
https://freelancingwithtim.substack.com/p/the-8-most-common-questions-about
https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/how-to-successfully-pitch-the-new-york-times-or-well-anyone-else/
okay that's it! ily bye!
https://freelancingwithtim.substack.com/p/the-8-most-common-questions-about
https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/how-to-successfully-pitch-the-new-york-times-or-well-anyone-else/
okay that's it! ily bye!
oh also subscribe to this newsletter for tips on improving your pitches and SO MUCH MORE https://freelancingwithtim.substack.com/
juuuust to close the loop here: reading pitches is literally the only thing i've done since like noon and i got through ... about 60 
editors are not lying when they say they don't have time to respond to every pitch!!!!! we are doing our best!!!!!
editors are not lying when they say they don't have time to respond to every pitch!!!!! we are doing our best!!!!!
alternatively: how am i so SELFISH that i devote all my free time to training freelancers to make my work-life easier!!!!!
