How To Pitch An Article To A Magazine Or Newspaper

From Idea to Commission

What you'll learn

How to write a pitch

How to sell an article

How to get clear on your angle

Who to send your pitch to and in which format

What to include and what to leave out

When to "chase up" the editor

Requirements

You should be able to use a PC and email

You should be able to write well

A desire to be published

Ability to take rejection and feedback

Description

Have you ever wanted to be a freelance journalist and write for magazines, newspapers or websites? Do you want to be a paid writer but don't know where to start? GOOD NEWS! You don't need an expensive qualification or education to sell stories and contribute to your favourite publications! All you need is: a really good idea, a really solid pitch, and a bit of good luck. The rest will follow from that point on. Most writing courses, in their focus on craft, tend to overlook the most important aspect of the process: how to sell a story. This course will walk you through the necessary steps to write a killer pitch that will get you a commission.My other courses will tackle the follow-on steps once the pitch has been accepted. But for the moment, THIS is the most important part. I'll walk you through the process from start to finish and hold your hand along the way. So if you want to know how to make it as a freelance journalist, join me on this unique, one-of-a-kind, kick-ass pitching course. This will be your first step in becoming a freelance journalist and writer. No expensive education needed. See you on the inside!You will learn:1. How to go from idea-formation to seeing your name in print,2. How to find the right person to send your ideas to.3. Sample scripts for what to include in your pitch and what to leave out.4. How to think more like a marketing whizz than a writer.5. When and how to follow up with your idea.“Great tips for anyone starting out or just needing a fresh outlook on pitching to new editors. The lesson on confidence was particularly relevant to a writer who is quite weary with not hearing back. Editors are not better than you, just busy, so don’t give up! Katie touches on everything from tone of voice, to treating your pitch like a business – an indispensable course.” SARA DARLING, travel, culture and lifestyle writer.About your tutorKatie is a freelance journalist and editor. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Sunday Times, The Independent, Conde Nast Traveller, the BBC, Harper's Bazaar, Food & Travel, Metro, Jamie Oliver, and many others. She has worked as a freelance for 20 years, and has successfully pitched hundreds of articles and stories over this time. She also runs her own blog, What Katie Did Now. 

Overview

Section 1: WATCH FIRST: Introduction to the Course

Lecture 1 Skills checklist

Lecture 2 Introduction

Section 2: The Business of Freelance Journalism

Lecture 3 How Freelance Journalism Works

Lecture 4 Do You Send in a Finished Article?

Lecture 5 What is a Pitch?

Lecture 6 Think Like a Business

Lecture 7 The Process

Lecture 8 Lead Times

Lecture 9 What if I've Never Been Published Before?

Section 3: Before You Pitch

Lecture 10 Understanding an Editor's Point of View

Lecture 11 Where Can I Get Published?

Lecture 12 The Difference Between Online and Print

Lecture 13 Doing Your Research

Lecture 14 Things to Avoid

Section 4: Writing Your Pitch

Lecture 15 Writing Your Pitch

Lecture 16 Three Why's

Lecture 17 AIDA

Lecture 18 Angles and Pegs

Lecture 19 Tone of Voice

Section 5: Examples

Lecture 20 Example of a Good Pitch

Lecture 21 Example of a Bad Pitch

Section 6: Who to Send Your Pitch to

Lecture 22 How to Find Editors' Contact Details

Lecture 23 Writers' Guidelines

Section 7: Keeping Track and Following Up With Editors

Lecture 24 Keeping Track of Pitches

Lecture 25 How to Follow Up

Lecture 26 Sample Follow-Up

Section 8: Conclusion and Resources

Lecture 27 Top Tips

Lecture 28 Tools and Resources

Lecture 29 Conclusion and thanks

Lecture 30 BONUS lecture!

Anyone who wants to write for newspapers, magazines and online publications,Anyone who wishes to be a professional writer