What The Best Writers Say About Writing A Pitch

Not all writers have the privilege of a regular platform to publish their works. Yes, blogs and personal websites can be avenues for putting a piece out there. However, having a story picked up by a well-known publication, book publisher, or production company allows a story to inform more people and cause a more significant impact.

For most wordsmiths, the possibility of getting published all starts with writing a pitch. It’s essential to learn about the basic elements of an excellent pitch to be able to draft a proposal any company would want to pick up.

The Elements of An Excellent Pitch According to Experts

Below are some of the elements most media companies are looking for when scouting for story proposals. Keep these in mind when writing a pitch to increase your chances of getting approved.

Originality

Just as with any media content you put out there, the story pitch should be original. It must be something that hasn’t been explored from your chosen perspective. 

While crafting your pitch, it’s best to search for past materials touching your topic. It’s not enough to merely avoid the perspectives of these previously published materials. Instead, try to take the story further. Find a unique angle to view the subject and create a new point of argument that would encourage healthy discourse on the topic.

The article should be groundbreaking enough that readers would want to tweet about it or share it on their Facebook page. Check out this article on Business Facebook Post Ideas To Increase Engagement 

Television and film writer, producer, and author Shonda Rhimes once shared how she trained herself in TV writing. She watched seasons of The West Wing and dissected every aspect to learn about its structure and storytelling style.

“Probably one of the things I’ve learned by watching ‘The West Wing’ was the need to be original in my use of dialogue,” Rhimes said. “The need to not copy anybody, the need

to not be simple in my use of dialogue.”

Clarity

Most editors often have a set of factors they’re looking for in a story. If your pitch is too vague, it would be difficult even to gauge if it passes their story requirements.  

Writing a pitch as clear as possible allows editors to discern if it’s the right fit for the publication. Furthermore, a clear outline enables an editor to pinpoint which elements or parts don’t work for them. This could allow you to revise your framework for a resubmission or take note of components you could improve on for next time.

Being concise with your proposal when pitching a book at a writers’ conference is also crucial. Chuck Sambuchino, Writer’s Digest Books staffer and best-selling humor book author, suggests keeping the pitch short and sweet. A pitch for a novel should be under a minute and a half. While a non-fiction book proposal shouldn’t take more than two minutes.

Methodology

How you plan to take on your writing project is just as important as the product itself. Most writers don’t put much attention into including methodology in the proposal. However, a methodological statement could be vital information that can make all the difference in whether the pitch would be approved or not.

Nicole Dieker, a Senior Editor at The Billfold and author of The Biographies of Ordinary People, emphasizes the importance of methodology. According to her, just a sentence or two about how you’re planning to undertake the book or article can show how serious you are about the project.

Though not all writing projects require research, showing the editor that your project is substantial, credible, and valuable can help up your chances of getting published. Check out this article on Best Writing Blogs To Look Forward To In 2020

Platform Brand and Target Market

Before you send a pitch to a magazine or a publisher, take the time to learn more about them. If it’s a magazine, what types of stories have they published in the past? What are the common denominators of their published articles? If you’re pitching a book, what kinds of themes has the publisher previously released? 

Getting to know the company would give you a better initial perspective on whether your idea would be the right fit or not.

According to journalist, essayist, and media entrepreneur Ann Friedman, it’s essential to express how your idea “fills a hole in their coverage or presents an angle their readers will be interested in.” 

In short, you should tell them outright what’s in it for them and how their organization will benefit if they give your pitch a go.

Emotional Impact

Whether it’s a novel, a magazine article, a film, a TV series, or any other form of communication, people choose the media materials they consume with emotions.

Your pitch, however brief it may be, must be able to express the emotions you’re trying to elicit with your project as a whole. 

Michael Hauge knows all too well how the power of emotions can make or break a project. Being one of Hollywood’s top script consultants, story experts and authors for more than 30 years now, he knows a thing or two about getting pitches approved.

According to Hauge, writers must face the reality that every pitch is a sales pitch. After all, you’re not merely asking an editor or a publisher to pick your idea. If your pitch gets approved, you’ll also be asking media consumers to invest their time, money, and energy to hear your story. Check out this article on Everything You Need To Know About Marketing Writing

Writing Samples

Writing a pitch isn’t all about the idea per se. It’s all about how you will collate the information from your sources and research. Then weave everything together into a unique and groundbreaking story.

According to Scott Stossel, editor of The Atlantic, pitching a story also entails showing off one’s writing skills. Having a compelling idea is one thing. But telling it from a unique angle and with the right tone can help seal the deal.

When pitching a project, it could be helpful to include links to previously published works to give the editors or publishers an idea of how you write. This vital information will help them decide whether your story and style combined would make the cut.