Dear writers,
If you are starting out on your freelance journey, this guide is meant for you. A PITCH is one of the foremost tools you need in your freelance life, and this newsletter aims to answer your questions about it.
The guide includes
1) What is a pitch + how to write one
2) Dummy pitches
3) Post-pitching process
4) FAQ
Ready? Let's begin.
FREELANCE BASICS: THE PITCH
There’s much to say about the process of pitching so the focus here is on basics: what is a pitch + how to write it. This information is based on personal experience and notes I’ve made in these five years of freelancing.
Pitching is the process of reaching out to publications and getting them interested enough in your idea/story so that they publish it. A pitch is essentially the email you send to the editor outlining your story and your expertise.
There’s no such thing as a perfect pitch. Every pitch has abroad outline (mentioned below), but can be customized basis the outlet’s requested guidelines.
Basic outline
A pitch sent via email includes a salutation to the editor – I stick with a simple Hello. Add an introductory paragraph: it could be your bio, a response to an editor’s call for pitches, or the hook or news peg of the story. Keep it brief.
A headline and intro/strap
Every pitch I send out has a headline and introduction. These two sentences are a clear indication of your story. I tweak the headline according to publication: if it’s an online pub, I write it like clickbait. If I am pitching an international pub, I try and give a sense of location, and ensure the strap explains any unfamiliar words in the headline. I often use this headline as my subject line too, like this Pitch: (Your Story condensed in a short line)
A coherent thought
This is where that research will come in handy. Do not send cryptic emails saying, “I want to write about [XYZ] topic”. It is general and vague and you editor isn’t going to be interested in finding out what exactly you know about the topic.
A former colleague once said, ‘there are only four original ideas in the world and all we do is rehash them’. Chances are your idea has been written about before so your job is to find another angle or a justification on why it needs to be written about again.
Try introducing a character into the pitch: it could be you or a source you interviewed. This makes the pitch personal and has a higher chance of connecting with an editor.
Mention the format you will use: a personal essay, a reported feature, an investigative story etc. If it’s a visual piece, mention if you are able to source pictures. Also mention if this is a follow-up to/spin-off of work you’ve already published.
A peg/hook
Your idea needs to be important, interesting, and should have some value for the readers. It should also be newsworthy and answer the questions: why does this story matter + why now? Topicality is always a good idea, even for feature stories. It’s sometimes good to mention why this story would be of interest to the readers of the publication you are pitching.
Your expertise
This is where you tell the editor why you are the best person to write this story. Briefly mention whether you have any specific expertise or skill or personal experience or anything that makes you uniquely placed to work on the story. It could be proximity to a location, intimate knowledge about a place/ person, your background, your familiarity doing these kinds of stories, etc.
Sources
Who are the people you will be interviewing/ have interviewed for your story? If you have narrowed down your interview subjects, mention them by name or just mention the kind of people you intend to interview. If you intend to reference books, research papers, other documentation, mention that too.
A tentative deadline and word count
It is advisable to have a proposed word count and deadline. This need not always be part of your pitch and often will come up after the editor has given her/his approval.
Work links
Most editors ask for 3/4 published links, ideally something that is similar in subject to the proposed idea. Else, a link to your portfolio also works. Hyperlink everything.
A brief introduction
Your name, location, years of writing experience, publications in which your by-lines have appeared with hyperlinks to your author tag pages. Your work links can go in this paragraph. I usually include this bit at the end of my pitch but you could also add it in your introductory paragraph.
Before pitching, do remember:
— Do not send a completed article draft, unless specifically requested. Editors are time-pressed and won’t open your attached document. Send an idea.
— Most of your pitches will be a cold pitch: emailing someone you do not know and who doesn’t know you. Be friendly but polite.
— Do prior reporting: research your idea, collate some facts, interview some people (if required)…anything that can help you define your story.
— Understand the publication: read a couple of stories on their site/e-paper, familiarise yourself with the sections, and the editors of each section. Check if your story has already been covered. Look for pitching guidelines.
— Seek out the editors’ details: Once you choose a publication (or ‘home’) for your story, search for the editor’s contact. Many publications have fixed email formats. A Twitter search ‘publication name + editor’ can help.
— If it’s a timely pitch, mention it in the subject line and/or in the email. If you are pitching more than one outlet simultaneously, mention this too.
Find editors you want to work with and really work out what makes them tick. Once you know what an editor wants, what excites them, the type of story they go for, then you’re going to have more success in pitching to them. That’s something I know from being both an editor and writer.
— Jonathan Nunn, editor, Vittles
DUMMY PITCHES
Two pitches of mine, both of which got accepted and published. I've included my notes at the end of each one.
(I)
A few years back, the Guardian published an article in which the columnist called jackfruit a “spectacularly ugly, smelly … pest-plant” which people consumed “only if they had nothing better to eat”. Indians, and Asians, responded with outrage. It got me thinking about doing a story for an international publication on jackfruit and it’s use in Indian cuisine. At around this time, the editor of Tenderly, a vegan publication on Medium, had put out a call for pitches. This was my pitch to her.
Hello Summer
I am writing this email in response to your announcement on Twitter about Tenderly. I am sending you an idea about a much-maligned fruit, at least in certain circles, but one which is loved and cherished in India. A recent article calling the fruit smelly and a vegan sensation had many Indians up in arms about the misrepresentation and fallacies in it. I would like to write a rejoinder to that piece.
H/L: In defense of the jackfruit and its role in Indian cooking
Strap: The fruit has always been popular in the Indian kitchen, much before it turned into a vegan sensation in the West
In an Indian house, getting a jackfruit home is a ceremony. The day is planned in advance, the household readies for it with paper, containers and other equipment, and windows are thrown open (yes, it does smell). The whole jackfruit is carried home, broken into using a knife or in the villages, an axe-like instrument, and portions are distributed to various family members. Each then sets about separating the fruit from its prickly coating, taking care to keep the stalks and seeds in separate piles.
The fleshy fruit is either consumed plain or added to curries. The seeds are sun-dried or roasted and sprinkled with salt (and some masalas) and eaten as a snack. The fruit is used in dry subzi, stew, curry, biryani, fritters, tikki, kebab, pickles, etc. In Bengali homes, it is called 'gaach patha', literally mutton of the tree. In Goan homes, the seeds are turned into a curry. In Kerala, a popular preparation is fried jackfruit chips. In UP, would be made into a dry subzi stir-fried with besan or prepared as koftas in a thick onion and tomato curry to be eaten with rice.
I would like to do a story on the fruit's versatility in the Indian kitchen and how it's not just a vegan substitute but a deserving fruit/vegetable in its own right. I will also touch upon why it left to waste in certain parts of the country.
LINK TO THE PUBLISHED PIECE
Notes on this pitch: In hindsight, there is much I could’ve done to improve this pitch, like come up with a better headline. But, it got accepted. The whole pitch is less than 300 words (it’s one of my longer ones!). The editor liked the idea – mostly for its topicality and because it fit into the publication’s theme. We discussed word count, deadlines and sources in subsequent emails. It was widely read; even Nigella Lawson read it and tweeted it (#achievementunlocked).
(II) Peeling back the layers of the traditional Goan bebinca
The popular eggy cake from India enfolds legends, history, and experimentation
In the 17th century, the nuns in the Santa Monica Convent in Old Goa (India) hit upon an idea that would have ripples through the centuries. The nuns used to starch their clothes with the egg whites. Instead of throwing away the yolks, they decided to create sweets with them introducing Goans to many an eggy treat. Legend has it that a Sister Bebiana from the convent decided to create a layered cake, seven for the seven hills of Goa and Lisbon, and thus, the bebinca or the bebik (as the Goans would call it) was born.
The bebinca surely came in from the Portuguese, possibly from their other colonies. It is easily the most recognized Goan sweet, and travels far and wide. Besides egg yolks, bebinca has ghee, coconut milk, nutmeg and flour (maida) and some nutmeg or vanilla essence. The ingredients may be simple, but the process is long. A well-prepared Bebinca was, and is, judged by the number of layers and their evenness. Each layer is baked separately; the more layers, the longer the cooking time.
The most important ingredient for bebinca is patience.
This Christmas, I learned that patience. For the first time in life, I decided to try making a bebinca using the recipe of a family friend. I swapped out the traditional earthen ovens or tizals for an OTG. My sister-in-law and I made 9 layers. It was a delicious disaster. Our concoction was too runny, so the bottom two layers got burnt and stuck to the baking tray. We scraped it off and licked the crumbs. Burnt cake has flavour too. Our top 6 layers were even and as firm as we would’ve liked it.
Our second attempt was at another family member’s home, where she patiently guided us through a recipe that she has perfected for 30 years. It came out beautifully balanced and delicious. I am hoping the third time’s the charm.
The good thing about bebinca is, even if you mess it up, the mistakes are delicious.
I would like to write a story about the Goan bebinca as seen through my experience learning, and baking it. I will also touch upon the history, and the different types of bebinca still made in Goa. (Bebinca is common during our Easter celebrations too).
I recently wrote a piece about another layered treat from Goa called Bolo Sans Rival.
Notes on this pitch: This is one of my favourite pitches because I tried to include many of the aspects of what I consider to be a good pitch: Include a headline and intro (even if it gets changed later) + Start with an interesting story/ character: I liked the legend of the bebinca and thought it would make for compelling reading + Give some background (especially when pitching international publications that do not know about Indian food): I had to mention the Portuguese colonisation + Link to similar stories: I have written about Goan food before but I linked to the sans rival because it’s also a layered cake, also has roots in the Portuguese occupation of Goa, and it followed a structure I wanted to replicate here + End with a summary of what you intend to write: Though I didn’t mention, it seems apparent that I was pitching a personal essay.
POST PITCHING PROCESS
You have sent across a pitch. Now what? You wait. Every publication has a different response duration, typically a week or a fortnight or a month. Even if they do not, you can keep a timeline in mind. I use two weeks for feature stories, and 24-48 hours for topical news.
If there’s no response within your allotted time, send a polite follow-up email. Keep these short. Don’t be passive aggressive or accusatory and use statements like, ‘why haven’t I heard from you’ or ‘are you going to reply to this?’. You could send two follow up emails, but I usually stick to one. I prefer replying to my initial pitch so the editor knows what pitch I am referencing in the follow-up. You could also change your subject line and remove the ‘re:’ bit.
An example:
Hello [Editor’s name]
I wanted to follow up and see if you had the chance to review my idea and if its fits [publication name]. I can provide additional details or clarifications.
Thank you,
Many editors won’t reply to your pitch, even with a rejection. In this case, you decide on a deadline –– before which you withdraw the pitch and send it elsewhere. It is good practice to send an email mentioning you are withdrawing the pitch.
If your pitch has been rejected, thank them politely (this is optional but it is good manners) and move on. Revise the pitch and send it elsewhere.
If your pitch is approved, congratulations! You are now a few steps away from getting your story out in the world. Now begins the hard work. In your next email, get all the information needed to write the story: word count, deadline, the need for pictures or illustrations, style guide, American/ British English, and payment details. Most editors are thorough and will mention this anyway, but if not, you need to have these in place.
FAQ
(Some of the common questions I get asked about pitching)
I was asked to write on spec. What does it mean?
Spec here means speculation. On spec refers to a fully written story you hope and speculate that the editor will like it enough to pay you for it. Writing on spec is usually asked of new writers or those who don’t have good bylines/ experience to show. It is a way for an editor and publication to see if you have the writing chops and are a good fit for them. It's a risk. I don’t do it. I’ve never done it. To me, it’s like writing for free. There’s no guarantee that the story will get approval or that the publication won’t just lift off your idea and have someone in-house do it.
There are some advantages: you can impress your editor with your writing and gain entry into a new market; the feedback you receive can help you polish the story and sell it elsewhere; and you could get the story approved and get paid.
My advice: write on spec if it’s a good/ one of your dream publications or if you are confident in your writing and in the story.
I feel shy to talk about money. How do I broach the subject?
You will have to get over your shyness. If you do not ask about the rate or discuss it before you send the story, you lose negotiation power and have to accept what they offer. In the worst case, you may not get paid at all. Before writing the story, clarify remuneration details — do not hesitate to bargain a little, too.
How do I decide my rate?
Only you know what your time and talent is worth. There are many ways of deciding a rate — some people do an hourly figure, others (like me) go by a wordcount. Rs3-5/word is standard practice at most Indian publications; some magazines and newer publications pay Rs 10-12. The former is too low for me and I only write for this amount if I know the editor and want to a long-term relationship with them, if I know the publication is struggling with money issues, or if it’s a byline I really desire. But, it is your choice. I won’t rate shame here so if you find this amount agreeable, work with it.
Only send your rate if an editor asks for it. If it’s an international publication, keep in mind the transfer fees and conversion rates of local banks. PayPal has a steep conversion fee, so ask your editor if they can pay it — I prefer Transferwise.
Though it isn’t possible these days, some publications pay for travel and other expenses for the bigger, deeply reported pieces. Clarify this before you start your research. Ideally, clear out all money queries (including contracts and payment schedule) before you start writing your story/ send it in.
My story got approved and then dropped. What do I do?
Ideally, you should get paid a kill fee. A kill fee is what a publication pays you if your assigned article is cancelled or ‘killed’. It is typically a (small) percentage of the final amount/ rate you agreed upon. This should be mentioned in your contract. Note: Most Indian publication do not offer kill fees. You can ask for one, but be prepared to hear ‘no’.
I haven't received a response from the editor. Was my pitch bad?
Be prepared for no response, or a straight no. You may write the greatest pitch but it can still be rejected. There are many reasons a pitch won’t get accepted — budgets, wrong fit for the publication, the editor missed your pitch, they didn’t have time to respond — and most of them have nothing to do with you.
Pitching is a numbers game. My advice is to keep at it. I’ve had 90% of my pitches rejected or ignored. Some freelancers will send out two or three pitches a month, either to the bigger and better-paying publications (NYT, The Guardian, BBC Travel). Others will send out more than five. When I started freelancing, I pitched a lot, averaging about 20 in a month. It was a bad idea because I wasn’t spending enough time on each one. These days, I send out about 3-5 pitches a month, depending on my workload. Choose what works for you.
This is already a long newsletter so I won’t add to the word length. A reminder to reach out on itsallwrite@outlook.in if you have anu questions or suggestions.
Wishing you a good pitching (and paying-on-time) season ahead.
Cheers,
Joanna