Don't be a narcissist...
The article you're pitching might mean a lot to you, but it isn't FOR you
This week as part of The Indiependent’s ‘Journey-lism’ event series I chaired an entertainment journalism Q&A with Sight & Sound editor Mike Williams. I asked him about the biggest mistakes he sees in pitches from freelancers, particularly those from early career stage journalists.
He said that often people forget to say why their article would be of interest to readers, instead saying “I really want to write a piece about X”. It’s fine to be really passionate about the subject you are pitching on, and don’t be afraid to let your fan expertise shine through. But at the same time, you need to tell an editor why readers would want to read your article — particularly, why readers of that specific publication you are pitching to would find this article informative or entertaining. Is it similar to another feature they have run in the past? Has the outlet covered that band or that director’s work before? Embedding links to similar pieces in your pitch shows i) that you actually read the publication you are pitching to and ii) that you have given some consideration to what the value add is for readers.
Mike made a useful analogy, comparing pitching as a freelancer to job applications. He said when you are reviewing job applications, the best cover letters or the best interviewees say what they could do for the company — they don’t lead by saying what they would get out of the role. “I am a great team player and I am good at managing competing deadlines” would fill you with so much more confidence as a hiring manager than hearing “I really need this job to make rent this month”. The same applies to an editor looking at their inbox full of freelance pitches. Don’t be a narcissist — it’s not about you: it’s about the reader.
This goes back to the ‘So what?’ test that I mentioned a few newsletters ago, after one of my all-time favourite journalists Joel Golby gave me feedback on some work last year. In our time-pressed world, it’s very easy for a reader to close the browser window or skim over your article if they aren’t grabbed from the very first sentence. This is once the article has been commissioned, mind — at the pitching stage, you need to make a compelling case for yourself that your idea is good enough to keep the reader on that outlet’s site, or reading their print output each week. If you can’t convince an editor that your idea is interesting or original, how on earth do you expect readers to engage if you were to actually write the piece?
As a freelancer with multiple income streams, I think it’s very easy to fall into the trap of only pitching on things that interest you or that you’re a massive nerd about. If you're not careful, you can get carried away with your passion for the subject matter and forget to bring it back round to the readers. Why should anybody care? If you’re struggling to think of a compelling reason why this article should be published now by that specific publication, an editor is unlikely to give you the green light. Take a bit longer reading around your subject and pitch with the reader in mind. That’s when you’ll start to see results.
My week
… in editing
I edited Andrew Butcher’s review of Fearless (Taylor’s Version); Emma Flint’s ‘Introducing: Ashnikko’ feature; as well as a bunch of track reviews: Annie Gray’s review of ‘Everything I’ve Learned’ by BLOXX; Brenna Cooper’s review of ‘Shining Star’ by Chloe Foy, and Miriam Viscusi’s review of ‘Did I Ask?’ by Pinkfiz.
My weekend is going to be spent putting together the next issue of The Indiependent’s print magazine, which is available for pre-order here. Featuring lots of cool features including an interview with Wolf Alice and JAWS, it’s going to be a cracking read.
… in writing
Pitches: 0
Commissions: 0
Articles written: 2
Articles published: 0
I finished the feature I had commissioned a week or so ago. I didn’t send any pitches this week because I’m expecting to be really busy with magazine stuff for the next fortnight or so.
I’m also attending Collision Festival next week, so will hopefully have some ideas to pitch off the back of that next week.
… in listening/watching
I’ve been watching a lot of First Dates Hotel lately, which is wholesome AF. Also, at the risk of losing a bunch of subscribers… I’ve never seen Gavin and Stacey so I started that this week too.
… in reading
I liked Sahar Arshad’s Refinery29 piece ‘Leaving home allowed me to explore my ‘aesthetic’ for the first time’
Serena Smith’s feature on Depop and dropshipping, also for Refinery29, was really interesting
As someone who furiously straightened their hair every day before school only for it to be frizzy by lunchtime, I found Hannah Van-de-Peer’s Stylist piece oddly relatable: ‘How connecting with my Sephardic Jewish roots made me fall in love with my hair’
Poppie Platt hit the nail on the head with her comment piece: ‘Taylor Swift’s Fearless was more than music — it was a mirror in which girls could see themselves’
Big fan of Sirin Kale’s feature ‘From Naked Attraction to Love Is Blind: the couples who found lasting love on wild TV dating shows’
Also by Sirin Kale, this longread is excellent (if harrowing): ‘Out of thin air: the mystery of the man who fell from the sky’
Diyora Shadijanova’s Bustle piece ‘15 thoughts I had watching Bridget Jones’s Diary in 2021’ had me wincing in agreement
I liked Luke Walpole’s The Guardian piece: ‘Heavenly bodies: how the bureaucrats of the afterlife took over TV’
I adored this piece that Amelia Tait wrote for Penguin asking ‘Why can’t we stop sharing our reading lists online?’
This VICE piece by Rose stokes on getting made redundant is great: ‘The DM that changed my life: ‘Please come to the meeting room :)’’
I wrote hundreds of thousands of words of fanfiction as a queer teenager so I loved Charlotte Moore’s Aurelia piece: ‘Existential bi-sis: finding sanctuary in fanfiction’
A thousand times yes to Brijana Prooker’s ELLE piece: ‘It’s time for women to break up with politeness’
I spoke to Orla McAndrew for this Nrth Lass piece ‘The Northern women breaking into journalism’
Will Pritchard’s WIRED piece ‘They were ancient internet memes. Now NFTs are making them rich’ was fascinating
Events
I’m looking forward to hosting this lifestyle writing Q&A with the brilliant writer & columnist, Rose Stokes. Join us on 27 April at 6.30pm.
Other upcoming events:
Indiependent Journey-lism: freelance features writer, Amelia Tait - 5 May at 6.30pm - Amelia is one of my favourite journalists and so I’m so excited to be picking her brains on how to pitch and write features.
Indiependent Journey-lism: senior commissioning editor, Victoria Richards - 13 May at 6.30pm - this will be a great event for anyone looking to learn more about what commissioning editors are looking for from freelancers
Opportunities
All over: The BBC’s production management apprenticeship (fast-track) is open as is the BBC’s production trainee scheme
Bath: SelectScience have an editorial assistant role available on a 6-month FTC
Birmingham: The Birmingham Children’s Trust is looking for a digital marketing and social media officer
Blackburn: Blackburn College is looking for a marketing officer
Bradford: RF Publishing needs an NCTJ-qualified news reporter
Bristol: The University of Bristol is looking for a senior communications officer
Bristol: Imperial Brands is looking for a digital content copywriter
Colchester: Lepra is looking for a communications officer
Coventry: The Camping and Caravanning Club is looking for an editorial assistant
Glasgow: The Daily Record is also looking for an assistant live news editor
Leicester: Wholesale LED Lights is looking for a content writer/social media assistant
Liverpool: Reach PLC have an opening for a commercial content writer
Macclesfield: Spacehouse is looking for a B2B journalist
Manchester: Siemens is looking for a media production intern on a 12-month basis
Manchester: Reach PLC is recruiting for an engagement producer to work on Manchester Evening News
Manchester: DA Languages is looking for a junior bid content writer
Manchester: Springbrook Properties is on the hunt for a creative copywriter
Manchester: Updates Media is a social media agency looking for a junior social media creative
Middlesbrough: Teesside University is looking for a communication and digital media assistant
Newcastle: PoptopUK is looking for an email marketing copywriter
Nottingham: Medichecks.com has a digital content executive role going here
Nottingham: The Futures Group is looking for a marketing and PR assistant
Oxford: Oxford University Press is looking for an editorial assistant
Salford: The BBC needs an executive producer to work on BBC Education
Sheffield: The Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is looking for a communications officer
Sheffield: Zoo Digital is looking for a content marketing executive to work with major Hollywood studios
Stoke-on-Trent: bet365 have a sub editor role available
Wakefield: The West Yorkshire Police is looking for a communications officer
Warrington: ORCHA is a digital health organisation looking for a marketing and communications assistant
PS) Tweet me and let me know what you think of this newsletter! @BettyKirkers or @DistrictPeaked