This week we will concentrate on approaches and strategies for capturing an editor's attention. While this is the second chapter in the text, it seemed to me when designing this course that working on how to pitch a story should come only after having a story to pitch. Read Matthew Hays' advice, especially the sample pitch letters that led to successful publications. Decide on a publication for which your final long-form story might be appropriate, both in terms of its subject and the publication's audience. Using Hays' advice, tell us how you would pitch your story to that publication's editor.
My long-form story is about work release centers: facilities that allow inmates to work instead of just sitting in jail. I decided to use a local example: a hotel in Clearwater that hires women from various centers. I also highlighted one woman's experience in particular, focusing on how she ended up in prison, her time in work release and how it helped her.
ReplyDeleteTo me, this is a general interst story. It's not really about crime or work release centers. It's really about second chances. I think this story would be best in a publication like the St. Pete Times. I've noticed they often feature stories on subjects such as this. The Sunday edition often features stories about people considered "below" society. (Does that make sense? I'll explain in class). I could see it being featured in the Sunday edition.
Like Hays says, a good pitch "should be tight and to the point." But I think I would emphasize the human element right away. This story is about people getting second chances, not PR on work release centers. I would empasize this right away. I might even provide an interesting exert from the story that can grab the editor's attention. Because if I can't get their attention, how will I get the attention of readers?
My long form story is about a woman that survived breast cancer. It is a profile, with medical explanations blended into the narrative.
ReplyDeleteMy story could be suited for a woman's magazine; any health-related insert in the newspaper on cancer; medical journals because it is a testimony of a real-life recovery.
It would appeal more toward women, or health care providers, looking for a positive outcome for their patients.
I would pitch my story as a love story - a couple married almost 50 years - fighting cancer together since this is underlying theme of my story; the topic is breast cancer, with a theme of a 50-year marriage.
My story focuses on "vices" including tanning, smoking, drinking and eating fast food. These legal, common pratices face people world wide every day, yet are extremely harmful to their health. I will discuss the risks and statistics surounding each "vice" as well as the background behind each and the drives and motives individuals have.
ReplyDeleteI would pitch this story to women's health magazines. While it pertains to both men and women, I think it would be more interesting/intriguing to women over the age of 18. I believe women would find this informational and if they are already reading a health magazine, it would hopefully be an eye opener and possible habit changer.
I would pitch the story as a piece that focuses on individuals and their drives for each vice. I believe that knowing what makes people have these cravings can help others avoid them.
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ReplyDeleteMy story is about small businesses that started with a home made product and became successful in the area by using creativity.
ReplyDeleteFor example, Intensity Academy is a family business that sells carrot base pepper sauce - not water based. The owner uses social network websites to sell her product.
Some times original ideas don't go further because they are not in the right place/time...(?) Other times, a simple idea, such as this lady featured on the St. Petersburg Times, who started delivering "comforting chicken soup," for sick people become successful...
I think with this challenging economy, many publications are interested in successful small business stories.
Either business publications or local papers would be interested. If I talk about business other than the ones already published, I'd try the St. Pete Times.
TO: Amelia Lester, Managing Editor, The New Yorker
ReplyDeletePITCH: Fight to keep inheritance from claws of evil aunt leads to discovery of wrongful death lawsuit
My fiance's dad died in January. He went into the hospital for a blood clot in his leg in November and died January 8. At the end of the funeral service, my fiance's uncle—his dad's estranged brother—came up to him. He said that a will had been written and nothing was left to him. My fiance didn't think anything of it. He knew his dad had no relationship with them for over 20 years. But when we drove up to Atlanta over the summer, his aunt and uncle had used the will to switch the car title over to them, leaving us stranded.
We sought the medical records that would prove he wasn't of sound mind and body. We received nearly 10,000 pages of records. For a little over a month in the hospital. That didn't seem right. Little did the greedy aunt and uncle know, but they had overplayed their hand. My fiance and I discovered a medical malpractice/wrongful death lawsuit.
The sad story is that this is not uncommon. You'd be surprised how many people say, “I have a sister who did that,” or “My uncle's doing that right now,” when we tell them the story. Even my uncle is trying to swindle my dad out of his inheritance. My pitch is the universal element to this tragic story: how family should never act with such depravity and how mistakes the medical industry makes can cost a loved one his or her life.
My story is an in-depth look at transgender prostitution in Hawaii. Hawaii has some of the most beautiful transgender girls on the planet and, coupled with Hawaii's deep history with prostitution and a common belief that sexuality is fluid, the transgender girls on Merchant Street in Downtown Honolulu are a staple of Hawaiian culture and widely regarded as a normal part of Honolulu. It's accepted. It's recognized, but it's never really talked about outside of the islands. Oh, and it's not uncommon for the girls to drive home every night in their BMW's with a grand or two in cash sitting in their purse...
ReplyDeleteThe problem with my subject is that it's a difficult one to place. Magazines in Hawaii wouldn't accept it because so many tourists look at them and, let's face it, transgender prostitutes don't scream "classy." With some of the details I've already unearthed, the article would be better suited for a magazine like OUT or Advocate Magazine where the readers are relatively open-minded. Also, I've read a couple edgy articles in Rolling Stone, so it would be well-suited for a magazine like Rolling Stone that takes some risks with the articles they put out.
With OUT magazine or another LGBT publication, I would use the lead directly from my story since I'm sure I'll be able to generate quite a shocking lead from my subject matter. I would then talk about the social issues behind why the girls are prostitutes (because not too many businesses want to hire trans girls). I think that with OUT magazine's and other LGBT magazines' pasts with social issues, simply stating that these girls are almost forced by society into prostitution would be enough of a red flag for the gays to really have them interested (p.s. I say "forced" because many of their families disowned them when they told the families that they were starting the transition process. It's accepted in Hawaii and even celebrated at times, but not really when it's your own son.)
There's been an HBO documentary about the girls called "Downtown Girls: Hookers of Honolulu," so they've already received a small bit of press, but it was a sleazy half-hour bit asking them the details of the stuff they do with their "dates"/johns.
If you feel like checking out the girls I'm interviewing this weekend, feel free to visit the website for the HBO documentary and watch the preview for it (the button is located on the right-hand side)
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/downtown_girls/index.html
I finally settled on an idea for my long-form story. I’m writing about the Facebook game FarmVille, which has become a huge craze (over 60 million users) and has attracted people to the social networking site that normally wouldn’t go on it. It is also a major addiction for many people who are tending to their virtual farms instead of accomplishing productive things in real life.
ReplyDeleteThis story might work best for a tech magazine like “PC World.” Its audience is probably middle-aged men, although both men and women could relate to the story since the spectrum of FarmVille users runs the gamut. I would pitch the story to an editor using the main theme that technology has gradually taken over people’s lives, from the Internet to text messaging. FarmVille is just one of countless technological distractions in our society.
My long feature is about people who are devoting their lives to make the world a better place. Honestly, I have no clue what magazine would be interested in something like that so I hope you don't mind if I tweak this assignment a little bit and propose a pitch for my first feature instead.
ReplyDeleteThat was the story about the 17 year old fashion designer.
It would be perfect for the Minneapolis St Paul Magazine's style section.
I would pitch it to Jayne Haugen Olson, the stye editor, as a profile on an outstanding young local couture designer who's doing her own little Fashion Week at South High School. I'd also include something along the lines of "what were most of doing at 17?" because that's definitely what makes her unique.
For my long-form feature story, I want to tell the thrill about swing dancing.
ReplyDeleteI'll further discuss the historical and cultural impact on swing dancing. From a dance that developed in the 1920's, it made me wonder how swing dancing managed to stay alive and the popularity growth among the youth. There are a few local dance studios that offer swing dancing lessons and dances. From the lessons I already attended, some dancers consider swing dancing as something special to them. I also want to put a "human face" on swing dancing.
I would pitch my story to entertainment and dance magazines or local newspapers that do entertainment features. I don't want to discriminate or assume regarding age generations, but I see senior citizens' interests peak because they grew up listening to swing music. It may also be a good walk down memory lane.
My story is about stress on college campuses. I'd like to do a story similar to the Golden Bough where I interweave some scientific stuff without (hopefully) sounding too boring. I'd really like to focus a lot on the physical damage it entails because I think it's something a lot of people don't really give a lot of thought to when they're stress-ridden. This is a little vague, but I'm weary of fleshing out something too concrete after my initial plan for the last story got completely turned on its head.
ReplyDeleteAs far as a pitch, I'd probably show it to the Crow's Nest or The Oracle. It's about student stress in college so they both seem fitting. Aside from campus news papers I'd probably aim for a local publication like Creative Loafing. Their content is incredibly diverse, especially online, so I think there'd be a place for this article somewhere in their published sphere be it online or printed.
I am doing my long-form feature story on a lesbian couple. I wanted to expose their relationship, how it differs from a heterosexual relationship, if at all, including any heterosexual relationships they may have been involved in prior to their current relationship.
ReplyDeleteMy story is primarily about the love they share for each other, while together enduring any criticisms and prejudices they face day to day. I wanted to do more than just scratch the surface of the controversies in their relationship, or that they're relationship may bring to the table, however I decided to keep it light, so it's an easy read. My goal is for people to not look at them as a gay couple, but rather just a couple, sans any label.
I feel this story would make for a great feature story in a newspaper such as the St. Petersburg Times, perhaps in the Neighborhood Times section. I originally thought it would be fitting for any LGBT publication, however my intent is to shine light on a homosexual relationship, so that those with the disapproving mindset could see it's as much about love as any other relationship.
I will be writing a feature story about Marco Muniz, aka 'Coyote', a former local guide for immigrants at the mexican border. This story will delve into the life of a coyote, who made long and arduous trips back and forth from the states in order to bring his family with him.
ReplyDeleteThe intricate shortcuts and detours that must be taken on every journey into the states. On constant alert for border patrol and going days without food, it is a grueling job that a plethora of people cannot finish. Once your in the states, its a whole different story. While many view it as a vast underground criminal enterprise, many coyotes like Marco aren't in it for the money. just for the sake of their families and friends. Many have known these smugglers to be violent at times, often giving them a tarnished reputation among locals.
It will also entail details of his personal life growing up in poverty in mexico as an amateur boxer.