I have been working as a freelance journalist since March 2018. I used to regularly pitch to different publications, covering stories on society, culture, politics, and human rights. However, since 2022, I have been focusing on building my academic career, during which I was occupied with my doctoral research and several other research appointments. Now, after earning my doctorate from Cambridge, I have resumed pitching to newspapers and magazines.

If you lack the experience, or courage, to pitch to newspapers or magazines, perhaps because you feel you are inexperienced or suffer from imposter syndrome, do not worry. I am here to help. Below are my summary of the key steps to follow when drafting your pitches. Following this advice will significantly strengthen your pitches and increase the chances of editors accepting them.

Keep Your Pitch Concise & Clear

First things first, your pitch must be straightforward and easy to grasp. Your pitch provides editors with a shortcut for assessing your writing style, presentation, analytical ability, and expertise.

In your pitch, ask yourself: can you guide the editors confidently and concisely through the essential details needed for a decision—the what, when, where, why, and who of your proposed piece?

If your pitch achieves this clarity, editors are more inclined to trust your ability to deliver a well-structured article. Furthermore, many editors want to grasp your analysis and narrative, not just your initial concept (i.e. ideas). This means that, while not strictly essential, your pitch is more likely to succeed if you can demonstrate what you have found and what you are going to tell, rather than merely what you intend to explore.

Presenting what you have found and what you are going to tell demonstrates your familiarity with the subject matter and the specific analysis or narrative you are proposing. Conversely, if your pitch is confusing or vague, editors will often be unsure of the story’s core and are therefore more likely to reject it.

Have A Storyteller’s Mindset

The second thing is: If you can combine clarity with the ability to intrigue or excite the editors, your chances of receiving a commission are considerably higher. Editors are most impressed by writers who demonstrate a strong innate sense of narrative. Beyond explaining the subject matter, you should aim to articulate how you intend to tell the story. Who are the central figures, and how will their narratives illuminate the broader theme of your story? Where will the story unfold, and what kind of descriptive detail and atmosphere can we expect in the final piece?

Remember: if you pitches are sent to established newspapers or magazines, they usually have the editorial expertise to refine wording, adjust sentence structure, and correct grammar. What they cannot artificially create is the writer’s ability to convey deep emotion or vividly depict scenes. Such powerful delivery rests entirely with the writer.

State Your Sources

Also, if you are pitching an op-ed, stating your sources is less critical. Of course, your op-ed pitch is still more likely to succeed if you can provide more context about how you developed the idea for it. However, for essays or analysis pieces intended for newspapers and magazines, stating your sources is important.

For these types of articles, you should state how your arguments are supported by data or existing studies. If supported by data, clearly state whether you are collecting and analysing primary or secondary data, and how you plan to gain access to such data. Moreover, you should briefly outline your expertise to show that you are capable of collecting or analysing the data (or reviewing existing studies).

For example, as a quantitative sociologist, I trained in using different data analysis software packages over the past decade. I would often add a line or two about my expertise to demonstrate that I am capable of analysing both primary and secondary data, as well as both qualitative and quantitative data. These details help editors recognise me as an expert in my field or the subject matter, making them more likely to accept my pitches due to my expertise and authority.

If you are new to pitching stories, it is normal to have many concerns. To be honest, even now, with seven years of experience in freelance journalism, I still have concerns, particularly when pitching to world-leading outlets. This is perfectly normal. When pitching to editors, you also have to embrace and accept rejections as a normal part of the process. Rejections are an integral part of a writing career.

I hope the above advice helps. You can do it. Your next successful pitch could turn into your big piece.