Magazine Writing - Pitch Perfect

Freelance Journalism. Being Freelance not only sounds like a suave title but it really has limitless potential. It isn't really wise to start out doing Freelance because it's all about having a steady income and since you're always trying to pitch ideas or hit a road block with it then you have no idea where your next pay cheque is going to come from so it's all about how much you can afford to go without a steady job, sounds like fun right? Well, fun until you're broke, homeless and fighting in the street for a sandwich. So eitherway, the world of Freelance Journalism is always an option and you'll want to be pitching interesting exclusive stories, so here are the steps you take towards nailing that perfect story pitch.

It's important to note that usually it's not going to be done face to face, editors are busy people and they don't have time for this; regardless of how charming and awesome you think you are. So that means you'll be doing the majority of your pitching online through emails.

Make sure you swing for the fence
Image Courtesy of: Antoine Letarte, CC BY 3.0

1. Show you can deliver.
Your chance to be a successful freelance journalist really boils down to your reputation. You need to show you can deliver and so you should be referencing times that you've totally followed through, worked to a deadline and being able to write to the style of the publication you're pitching to. If you can consistently show these qualities then you greatly increase your success rate. From this, you need to persuade people you can deliver.

You don't want to be seen as a 'flake' so show that you aren't - it will all be shown in how you write the pitch and down to how you demonstrate the access you have to the people and to images. Sure you can pitch the story before you start but it's pretty unwise to do so - show you've gained the access beforehand, so make some calls and set up interviews and get access to images. Start using the 'lingo' for example you would call the images you have access to the collects, essentially another word for album; so you have access to all kinds of images to use and you would mention that in your pitch. Collects enable a portrait to be done and they help the story hit home even more.

2. Show off your contacts.
If you know anyone in the business who can vouch for you and your talent then now is the time to drop them into conversation - they will act as a reference as with any 'job application' so get connected and then name drop your way forward, but with moderation obviously.

3. Match the style of the publication.
Pretty simple; so much so it doesn't really need to be said. You should obviously demonstrate that you've read their publication, then match it's style. Straightforward really, shows that you can adapt to changing publications as they're not all the same.

4. Be succinct.
This means get right to the point, right away, no waffling around with preambles; be prepared by all means so when you dive right in you start swimming, as opposed to drowning. You must briefly and clearly express the story; not every single detail but enough to 'sell' it to them because that's what you are now; a salesman.

5. The nutgrab.
This hits the point home, usually around the third line and it needs to be enough to make them want the story, to be convinced that they need the story; that it's right for their publication and that it's interesting.

6. Details.
Now that they're interested and near enough sold on the idea you can bore them with the details and do it in a clear way - you don't want an endless string of emails going on and on because frankly the editor will lose interest. So you need to outline the course of the story and just tell them what you plan on doing and when.

7. Research.
You want to know who you're talking to, read up on them, learn their names and the spellings - show you've read previous publications and such and mention them just to pander.

8. Post-commission
Once you've gotten all the formalities out of the way, you then want to start talking word count, deadlines and money; how much per word. Make it easy on the editor and it'll be rewarding to you, simple as that.