Health Journalism 2012
Freelance: Pitches that are a hit with editors
• Christine Gorman, health editor, Scientific American
• Richard Kirkner, editor-in-chief, Optometry Times, Advanstar Communications
• Brendan Maher, feature editor, Nature
• Anna Maltby, associate health editor, Self
• Moderator: Colleen Paretty, executive editor, WebMD Magazine
By Carol Milano
“Stalk your editor,” advises Brendan Maher, feature editor at Nature, the first speaker at “Pitches That Are a Hit with Editors” at Health Journalism 2012.
Social media makes it easy to see what excites them, and to establish a connection, says Maher, who posts favorite stories he’s edited. “Everyone loves compliments, so tell me what you liked about my story. Post so an editor notices the quality of your ideas, too.”
“Stalk the story, not the editor,” recommends Christine Gorman, Scientific American health editor. Instead of suggesting a topic, like “antibiotic drug resistance,” pitch a very specific angle.
For story-stalking, read The Open Notebook regularly, Maher urges.
“Only a small number of pitches actually work,” concedes Anna Maltby, associate health editor at Self magazine. Several panelists report receiving 600 e-mails a day. Many are un-opened.
How can yours succeed? “Make sure it’s very clearly a pitch, not a press release,” says Colleen Paretty, executive editor of WebMD Magazine.
“Your subject line is where to get my attention,” Gorman agrees. Write “PITCH,” then one sentence. “Capture in a few words the essence of your pitch. Think like a Hollywood screenwriter – Thelma & Louise meets Crocodile Dundee,” she suggests.
Offer visual possibilities. “For our front-of-book one-pagers, your topic should translate well in a chart or graphic,” says Maltby. Multimedia works for Gorman, too. She’ll notice mention of “photos, video or audio tape of an interview, or slides. Say clearly what your slide show would be.”
With clips and resume, “Please make it easy for us,” implores Paretty. “Attach a bio, PDF or URL pertinent to this story.”
How much research does a pitch require? If you need to research the whole article, it’s probably not the right story for you, Gorman says. “Most effective writers can re-slant a story, for different publications; a basic news piece might lead to a scientist profile. When you have all the contacts and info, a new pitch can take an hour. That’s one reason people develop a beat.”
Communicate knowledge of the material. “Don’t just say everyone’s talking about it. Back up any trend you mention,” Maltby recommends. Cite your sources and their interview availability.
Richard Kirkner, editor-in-chief of Optometry Times, concurs. “Studies have shown…” is unacceptable. Identify the journal. Studies published six months ago are no longer news.
What about length? Paretty wants, “a couple of intelligent paragraphs. I have no time for a long pitch.” For Gorman, long enough to catch her attention so she’ll request a proposal – which is more detailed – to show SciAm’s editorial board. Maltby prefers two paragraphs, with bullets, conveying “a sense of elements you’d include, and why this will work for Self as opposed to other magazines. For a “10-tips” piece, hint at two.”
“If you’re pitching a 2,000 word feature, I can see you’re not familiar with our stories,” says Kirkner. Send him 150 to 200 words for their 1,000-word articles.
In fact, panelists are unanimous about the most crucial editor pleaser, which many writers skip. For a guaranteed advantage, study the magazine, its website, blog – every available version of your target. Then, you can stalk with confidence.
Carol Milano is an independent journalist based in Brooklyn, N.Y. She was a 2012 AHCJ-New York Health Journalism Fellow.
