The goal of your pitch is to persuade an editor to say yes and commission your story. But how to write a good argument? And how do you talk about money?

Co-founder of Siren Sport and lecturer in sports media communications at Deakin University, Dr Kasey Symons, as part of the ABC Sport Academy in partnership with Siren Sport, is joined by co-founder and writer , editor and audio producer of Siren Sport, Kirby Fenwick and ABC Sport. Kate O’Halloran, digital sports journalist and co-founder of Siren Sport.

Read the video transcript.

See below for a summary of key points covered in the vodcast.

Pitch Tips

• Know who you’re talking to, know the types of stories they publish – this can help you explain to the editor why your story is a good fit for their publication.
• Know what they’ve posted recently so you don’t present a story or angle they’ve already covered
• Be succinct: get straight to the point!
• As for length, 2-3 sentences and up to a paragraph or two are okay, but make sure each word/sentence works hard to sell your story.
• You can indicate your preferred angle in the pitch, but you can also include alternative angles, if you have them.
• Think about how you might connect your story to a current event, situation, or discussion: Why is your story relevant? Why your story right now?
• Present a story, not a topic!

• If you have any interviews planned, say so clearly
• Tell the publisher when you can deliver a copy
• Share links to other works, if you have them – this is especially important when you have never written for a publication or publisher before
• Use your email subject line to give a very quick overview of what you’re offering and capture the editor’s attention.
• Put the pitch in the body of the email, don’t put it as an attachment
• Don’t assume knowledge, especially if it’s a niche area that the editor may not be familiar with – explain why this is important
• It’s best to pitch your project before writing a story, as the editor/media will want to work with you to shape the story, rather than reverse engineering it.

Crafting a good pitch also makes it clear what the story is, and this will serve you well when it comes to writing it.

To recap: your pitch should cover the topic of your story. Who will you interview? Is this interview confirmed? And why is the place you suggest the best place to publish this story? Why is this story important? Interesting, is it worth it? How long do you expect the writing and interviews to take and when can you send us a draft?

And remember: succinct and precise is good!

Pitch example 1

Subject: Pitch: Jane Smith – I want to be faster and stronger for 2021

Dear Mermaid,

When news of the postponement of the Tokyo Paralympics reached para-triathlete Jane Smith, she was devastated. Tokyo was supposed to be her first Paralympic Games and she had been training for years for this moment. But that devastation quickly turned to determination as she seized the opportunity to be faster and stronger for 2021. But that’s not all she’s doing, Smith is working to qualify for a second sport, bringing his event total to three. It’s a big ask, but Smith has never shied away from a challenge.

I recently had the opportunity to interview para-triathlete Jane Smith and I think this story would be a good fit for Siren.

I can have a copy for you by the end of the week.

I have previously written for The Guardian, Junkee and The Age on the AFLW, W-League and Paralympics. You can see more of my work on my website (insert a link to your website or if you don’t have one, a link to 1-3 of your pieces.)

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Pitch example 2

Subject: Ambitious and daring: the first women’s Ashes captivated a cricket-loving nation

Dear Mermaid,

The first women’s Ashes took place in 1934-35 between Australia and England. It was an ambitious and bold move by the Australian Women’s Cricket Council, a young organization with barely any cash on hand. They were betting on the Australian public, on their enthusiasm and enthusiasm for women’s football. Their bet was well placed.

Over the course of three Tests in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, records were set (some remain intact) and crowds filled the stands; women’s cricket was on the big stage for the first time.

Nearly a hundred years later, on the eve of the next Ashes tour, the efforts of women like Margaret Pedan and Peggy Antonio are particularly captivating. After all, they built the very foundations that today’s superstars play on.

I will use archival sources to bring together the story of the first Women’s Ashes, highlighting the people, the preparation for the opening ball and the tests. I can also search for stock photos and videos.

I can have a copy for you within the week, well before the current series begins.

I have previously written for The Guardian, Junkee and The Age on the AFLW, W-League and Paralympics. You can see more of my work on my website.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Everything went well and you still have a no?

Sometimes you can do everything right in a pitch and you still get a negative or no response. How do you deal with this?

• Remember that your pitch may have gotten lost in the editor’s inbox. So don’t hesitate to follow
• Sometimes it’s just bad timing: The publication may have spent its freelance budget or accepted another pitch with a similar angle.
• Send your pitch elsewhere, because it’s not necessarily your pitch itself. Maybe it just doesn’t work for where you sent it.
• Think about how you could improve your pitch. Could you strengthen the connection to a current event or situation or demonstrate more clearly why this story is relevant? Can you improve the way you “sell” the story?
• Often, it’s not about you. Try not to take these things personally, just keep going!
• Here are some additional resources on how to present:

Billing and Money Discussion

Note: We are not financial professionals and the information we provide here will be general in nature and based on our own personal experiences.

• Get an ABN
• Find an invoice template that you can reuse. There are free options online. You can also ask a friend or family member who is self-employed and/or issues invoices and ask to see their template.
• Make sure you include key details on your invoice: your name, your bank details, your ABN, the nature of the task(s) you are being paid for or have completed. And if you charge after the article is published, include the article title and publication date.
• Add your name to the invoice file name when you send it – it makes things easier for the people paying you.

What if we asked for more money?

• Understand what market rates are and how much people are paid. Use the Monitoring MEAA rates and the MEAA independent rates to guide you
• If you’re comfortable, talk to other community members and ask them how much they were paid.
• There’s nothing wrong with asking for more money, especially if the story requires you to do more work.

Think about what language you could use to open this conversation. Here are some examples:

• Is there a possibility here to increase the rate?
• Is the price flexible for this story?
• I’m doing multiple interviews for this one, or the scope has changed, so is there any flexibility in pricing?
• Given that we will also be doing radio stuff as well as a written feature, is there any possibility of increasing the budget for this story?
• If a publisher has not provided you with pricing information, you can request this information. You provide a service and they pay you for it, it’s okay to talk about money
• Freelancers often think they’re going to be seen as arrogant or ungrateful, and this is especially true for women and gender-diverse people. But it’s an important skill to learn
• It’s always worth asking and seeing if there is any wiggle room and then it’s up to you if you think the rate is fair for the amount of work you put in, because what you don’t What you don’t often realize is that you’re more valuable to media organizations than to you!

Practical links

Contact us

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