on: Pitch

Over the course of the last four weeks, I have probably emailed out between 50 and 60 pitches to editors. I’ll explain what that entails, as I had no clue until I started doing it. A “pitch” is essentially an idea for an article. In it, you create a mini-essay which clearly states what you want to write about. You have to sell yourself and your idea to an endlessly exhausted editor.

First step. Think of an idea to write about. I am drawing blanks all/the/time. How in the heck do I come up with interesting topics that people will want to read about? And how do I become an expert on every field? Okay, okay. This is why “they” (the freelance writer community that is expansive and overwhelming), suggest finding a niche (pronounced n-ee-sh, not n-i-ch). But I can’t think of one. I like politics, parenting, social justice, gardening, housey house, food. And I’m not an expert on any of them. There are opinion type pieces which are simply responding to a news story that already exists, which I find easier to write as you aren’t creating a story. There are investigative pieces, but where am I am going to find the time to investigate when I have three kids at home? There are profiles, but there is no way I can get a celebrity to talk to me. And there are features, which is what I am trying to focus on at the moment. All of my attempts to think of ideas are coming up lacking and nearly non-existent. Just thinking of an idea is incredibly overwhelming.

Second Step. Find a publication you want to write for and research the heck out of their past previous published pieces. I have scrolled through THOUSANDS of articles trying to get a feel for each publication I want to pitch to. Trying to figure out their voice, tone, and audience, and what ideas have already been created (how did I not think of these ideas?!).

Third Step. Find the editor that you need to send your pitch to. This is actually like finding a piece of rice at the bottom of the ocean floor. I can’t stress how frustrating this part is. I feel like a stalker when I search for a publication’s, say, health editor. Find a name, that has no contact information listed. Type their name into Twitter. Nothing. LinkedIn. Nothing. So I have actually tried different emails, based on that person’s name and publication, until one has worked. Stalker. Guilty.

Fourth Step. Create a subject line that an editor will click. If it is at all boring, it won’t get opened. The problem is, I’m not witty and I’m not unusually creative. This step has obviously given me problems.

Fifth Step. Introduce yourself. To a person that has never met me. She doesn’t know my warmth, my intelligence, my history. But I have to come across to her as professional and informed, yet  personable and relatable. All of my bios need work as I am really selling myself short when all I can muster up is, “Lauren is a mum and freelance writer in Wales”. Yes, needs some more thought.

Sixth Step. Write the pitch. No more than 250 words. 250 words crafted so as to include each and every thought you want to convey in your piece. In a beautiful, grammatically correct, informative way. I thought I was good at this when I started (as I had two pitches accepted nearly right away), but I’m quickly starting to think I am going wrong somewhere.

And send.

And if most, or even just some, of my pitches were accepted, I would be gladly sending off pitches all day, every day. But actually, I nearly always get rejections. Or worse, crickets (no response at all).

Which naturally leads one to think, “is this all for naught?”. Editors don’t want to hear my voice. Hundreds of freelance writers are pitching similar, and better, stories. Staff writers are primarily writing for publications as so much funding has been cut recently. And I am freaking tired. Is it worth it?

I’ve come to the conclusion, that for now, it is. I don’t know how long I can stand it. But there is something about a chase, that I love. I can’t say I didn’t try.

Is there something you want to try? What would you do if you knew you may fail, but it didn’t matter, because you wanted to try it anyway? Please get in touch and let me know!

And if you know of any good story ideas, editors, or divinely inspired connections to the journalist world, please say.