How to pitch: the basics

The first in a new series on pitching

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Chances are that if you’re reading this you’ve already pitched a few articles before. You may well be an old hand that needs absolutely no help and lands a commission first time, every time (in which case, please share your sorcery with me), but it’s likely that even if you’ve been pitching for years it still feels a bit like a game at which you’re never really sure what the outcome will be.

This is the first in a short series that I hope will shine a little light on what works when it comes to pitching. A few things to note, however: firstly, this is totally subjective and very much about what works for me; secondly, even the most perfectly phrased, wonderful pitch in the world can get passed by if a similar story or destination has recently been covered or commissioned.

All that said, hopefully this will help you identify things that you’re doing right, and places that you might be able to refine what you’re doing.