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If it’s not immediately apparent why your story belongs in the publication to which you’re pitching, clarify that now.
a. Why here? If it’s not immediately apparent why your story belongs in the publication to which you’re pitching, clarify that now. Editors want to know you’ve thought about their audience. What makes your article interesting or useful to this publication’s readers? If your target is a smaller subset of the publication’s demographic, explain how the publication as a whole will benefit from running the article.
b. Why now? Just as many publications are aimed at specific groups of people, so too are many driven by time-sensitive content. Skiing articles should be kept for winter months (or whenever is appropriate due to editorial lead time—i.e. the delay from pitch to publication), while news-centric stories should be pitched as quickly as possible, while still allowing for a well-crafted query.
c. Why you? By now, just from your pitch, the editor should be able to see your ability to weave a story. But word-wrangling will only get you so far. In the Internet Age, when anyone with a computer can turn out content of dubious quality, credentials matter. What makes you uniquely qualified to write this article? Do you have certain school/job/life experience which makes you, if not an expert, at least credibly informed on the subject? Don’t be modest; here’s your chance to sell yourself as the guru you are.
Great tips for selling articles
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