All of us journalists dream of getting our story published in a magazine, especially one that we read and look up to already. But before you can do this you must master pitching a story to an editor. Freelancer Jacqui Thornton tells us how with her top tips:
Show the ability to deliver
You must show the editor you have the access to the people you need to interview.
Think about the pictures
Never forget the pictures as even something like this will be a concern to the editor. It’s best to already have your collect pictures and send them with the email/pitch in low resolution.
Match the style of the publication
Make sure that the style replicates the magazine you are pitching too, therefore learn as much as you can about it.
You have to be accurate
As a freelancer you don’t have a lawyer, you become one. You will need to check your own article. Or depending on ones self esteem you can get the person the articles about the double check the facts. BUT remind them it is the facts that they are checking and NOT the style ( often people want to change the style)
Only mention money when your pitch has been commissioned
This is important if you want to get paid. Ask them who your invoice needs to be sent too. But never mention any of this until you have been given the approval.
You need a killer first paragraph
You need to show you can write in a compelling way and there’s no better way than in the first paragraph. In this paragraph you must summarise what your article is about in the first paragraph.
Discuss why your story would effect people
In the second paragraph you must give the ‘nut grab’ the reason why your story would effect/interest people.
Include who you will interview.
In the third paragraph you must tell the editor your set plans of who you will be interviewing. Even better you would have done this already. Say who they are ( not just a ‘dr’ give their full name/details) and explain why they’re relevant to this story.
Wrap up (in final paragraph)
Explain again why this story is new/important and in your final paragraph include a bio of yourself including your contacts as reference.
Don’t include attachments
They’re too much effort for a editor to open they need to see everything in a body of the email.
Subject field needs to be gripping
5/7 words of what your story is about.
Consider lead time
A pitch about a story for the summer emailed in May is too late.
No American Spellings or grammatical errors.
We live in the UK- and there’s really no excuse.
(When sending your pitch to a magazine obviously you may have a few that you would like it to feature in. But do give an order of priority of each magazine. You can either tell them it’s exclusive or you can send it ‘all around,’ it depends on your circumstances and the story. Usually it’s a good idea to send all around. But the style must be individual for each magazine.)
Showing posts with label Magazine Journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magazine Journalism. Show all posts
Feature Formats
A great slogan is "people come for the news but stay for the features."
The features tempt readers to stay longer on a publications website. They add bulk. But without studying them people just generally think a feature is a feature and that they're all the same thing. But magazines use their own journalism jargon and the word 'feature' doesn't even exist.
Instead we establish that there are different formats within a magazine... You wouldn't approach an editor and say "I have an idea for a feature.'- They want you to be more detailed and tell them what format you have in mind.
In magazines every feature is defined by it's format.
There are several formats:
The features tempt readers to stay longer on a publications website. They add bulk. But without studying them people just generally think a feature is a feature and that they're all the same thing. But magazines use their own journalism jargon and the word 'feature' doesn't even exist.
Instead we establish that there are different formats within a magazine... You wouldn't approach an editor and say "I have an idea for a feature.'- They want you to be more detailed and tell them what format you have in mind.
In magazines every feature is defined by it's format.
There are several formats:
- A Confessional interview: written in first person voice. A person tells their story, usually something hard hitting.
- Consumer Reviews: The writer reviews products.
- Pictures/Fashion: This is photo led.
- Comment: All opinions. Debate is usually the best
- Feature interview: An interview with someone where you want to hear their views.
- Documentary: A video documenting an event
- News Feature: To find a 'peg' ( a link to a news story) followed by comment about it. Usually you see these as a bunch of 'clippings' or a wrap up.
- Profiles: People mix these up with a 'feature interview' only with profiles there is no interview. A profile is like a CV.. It contains no comment from the person it only contains facts about them. It's like a living obituary for a person.
- Arts Review: Reviewing movies etc.
- Investigations: Where the journalist initiates the stories- not like scheduled news events like court/parliament.
- Observational: Gonzo journalism like Tom Wolfe and Louis Theroux
- Response:
Features are all the editorial matter in a newspaper/magazine/radio/TV. They are factual but it's not news. Features are important for setting the tone.
The barkers are the hooks to draw people in.
News VS Features:
News is:
- 'Telling' the facts.
- Brief summary
- Aimed at a whole audience- effecting the most possible audience numbers
- Length varies depending on importance
- Defined styles
- Published instantly
But features:
- Seeing and showing.
- Lengthy and detailed. Especially comment or reviews. But usually the picture is the important factor. The words are there to separate the pictures- This is especially true with fashion magazines.
- Aimed at niche sections of readership
- Low writing status on fashion magazines all photo led.
- Length is fixed by editorial structure/TV Radio.
- Many styles
- Published according to schedule
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)