You might have heard a freelance marine science journalist mention that they're going to send a quick article pitch to one of their editors. But do you know what's involved in pitching? Spoiler: it's often not that quick! Here's a bit of insight from my own experience...

Me: "I'll just send a quick article pitch"...

The quick pitch

☎️ Getting in touch with my marine biologist contacts to see what as-yet-unpublished studies or new conservation initiatives they have in the pipeline

👀 Looking through journal newswires and pre-prints to find gems for a story

💡 Once I've got an idea, deciding which publication it might be best for

📚 Reading a few issues of the publication and thinking about whether the story is a good fit. If so, which section it could work for?

🔍 Searching old issues and the website archive to see if they've already featured something too similar

🕵️‍♂️ Researching who the correct editor is and finding their contact details

🐦 Check out their social profiles. Have they shared any tips on what they're looking for right now or the types of stories that work/don't work for them?

✅ Checking their submission guidelines

📝 Writing the pitch!!!

🎣 Checking to make sure I've covered key points. E.g. why is my story interesting for them, why now and why should I write it?

📨 Sending my pitch

⌛ Waiting for a response

👋 Sending a gentle nudge (if appropriate/relevant) if I haven't had a response before I try the story elsewhere

🔄 If it was a no / no response, starting from point 3 (thinking of a publication) and trying again

It can be fairly exhausting before you've even got the commission. And sometimes you have a great story that you just can't place at all! But the hard work is worth it when it pays off and you can share a cool story. In my time as a marine science journalist, there have been lots of stories I would loved to have written about that I wasn't able to place. But I've also been able to share some great stories too. To read them, check out my portfolio.

Hi, I'm Mel and I write about the ocean. Thanks so much for reading this post. I hope these hints help you improve your own pitches. I'm happy to offer my insights for free to help young writers (or career switchers!). But if you've found this useful, I'd be very grateful for anyone who considers buying me a virtual coffee.