Pitching a Story

A story pitch is a short description of an article idea with the intention of convincing a journalist to write the piece. They differ from a news release by having a longer shelf life and allow the writer to have more creative freedom. When pitching a story to the media, package it with all the relevant background information, staff willing to be interviewed, and contact information, then send it to a reporter or editor.

Tips for Pitching a Story

• Be sure that your story is newsworthy.
• A pitch should be thorough, but brief. Aim for about 500 words in length.
• A pitch assumes exclusivity. Pitch your story to one media outlet at a time, if they decline the story, you are free to pitch to another.
• Send your pitch via email, don't cold call reporters. Include the word "pitch" in your email subject line unless the media outlet's guidelines say otherwise.

For more tips and example, visit 7 Real Media Pitch Examples.