This is pretty dweeby, but I’m doing a pitching workshop with the Walrus interns tomorrow and I thought I’d post a version of the handout I’ll give them. Although writing a magazine pitch seems pretty basic, I still get a lot that fall far short of what you’d expect from a simple query letter. These are guidelines, of course, not hard-and-fast rules, and a lot of great writers can churn out pitches that don’t check all of these boxes—but the thing is that they’re great writers. Anyway, curious freelancers, here you go:
What makes a good magazine pitch?
1. Solid, novel angle
Why is this story unique? Has it been written before? What’s the takeaway for the reader?
2. Thorough research
Can the editor tell that you’ve done your groundwork, or are you just saying what you “hope to” discover? Do the sources, subjects, and data to back up your story…
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