Earlier this week, Jo Caird wrote an IdeasTap guide to freelancing. In response, our deputy editor Luiza Sauma – whose own freelancing career was, on the whole, disastrous – shares her tips on pitching articles...
I was once the world’s worst freelance journalist.
Sure, I filed on time, pitched lots of ideas and wrote for a few interesting publications, but the reality was that I was using “freelancing” as a cover for semi-unemployment and existential crises, rather than earning a living.
So how am I qualified to advise you on how to pitch articles? Because I receive pitches and commission stories every day, and have done so since 2005, when I started my career at The Independent on Sunday. Freelancing didn’t come naturally to me, but commissioning did – and I’ll be the first to admit that editors are mysterious, fickle creatures.
Outside the office, most of us are entirely normal; once we’re at our desks – due to stress, megalomania or a mixture of the two – we degenerate into terrifying, aloof freaks who hate your idea on Monday, love it on Tuesday, steal it on Wednesday and are barely capable of typing the words “Hello” or “Thanks”. That’s if you get a reply at all.
Fancy a horror story? One of my friends, when she was a lowly editorial assistant trying to make it as a writer, once wrote a list of ideas on a sheet of paper and gave it to an editor – only for him to scrunch it up, throw it at her head and laugh.
If you can see the funny side, congratulations – you’re cut out to be a journalist. If you don't think there's anything wrong with this behaviour, congratulations – you’re mildly sociopathic, and also cut out to be a journalist.
Here are my top tips for pitching and getting commissioned, straight from an editor’s mouth.
Make a clear pitch
Don’t just send a list of ideas – make the angle of each of your pitches clear. A good editor will help you to shape your idea, but they shouldn’t have to find the story for you. Also, don’t send more than five ideas at a time – it’s overwhelming.
Know your editor
Follow them on Twitter, find out who they are and what they’re interested in, and develop a friendly relationship. If that fails, flatter them, buy them chocolate and send them flowers.
Obey your editor
… Apart from when she tells you to buy her chocolate and flowers, because that’s just weird. But if your editor tells you to ask an interviewee a particular question or structure your piece in a certain way, do it (unless it’s completely unethical). A commission is a deal – stick to it.
Read the publication
We’ve all been guilty of pitching articles that are either entirely unsuitable, unoriginal or that have already run. Read the publication, read its rivals; in fact, read everything.
File on time and to the word count
Because we’ll be more likely to commission you again. This may sound ridiculously obvious, but you’d be amazed at how many writers don’t seem to think deadlines and word counts really matter. You can only get away with it if you’re a crazy, infamous genius who is incapable of cutting your piece down – but this is extremely rare, and unlikely at the start of your career.
Learn to accept criticism
It’s the most important lesson of all. Once you’ve accepted that you know nothing, you’re actually ready to learn something. If someone is generous enough to give feedback, listen and learn.
Now that you know the rules, send me a pitch. I promise not to throw it back in your face, but we all have our off days.
Have any more questions about pitching? Leave a comment!
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Image courtesy of harry.f on Flickr.