Write a 300-word pitch for an article or guest blog post

Welcome + intro to journalism

Gather inspiration.
Think about the industry in which you work, your friends' areas of expertise, or even a fascinating person whom you've met. Use these as jumping off points for story ideas. Don't feel the need to write about the same topics that everyone else is covering.
List 2 or 3 topics you'd like to write about.
Post these on your Project page to get feedback from the class.

Crafting the pitch

Research your story idea.
This may mean speaking with a source such as an expert on the topic, a person who is directly impacted by the issue, or a key player in the story. Alternatively, this may mean gathering statistics from research papers.
Explain your story in a short pitch.
Be sure to include highlights from your research and answer the questions 'why this?,' 'why now?,' and 'why you?'
Post a rough draft of your pitch.
Please add your pitch to your Project page for feedback. Pitches should be no longer than 300 words. For privacy purposes, do not include your personal contact information here.

Putting it all together

Refine your pitch.
Based on feedback from me and your peers, refine your pitch. This may mean focusing your idea, gathering more information, shortening your pitch, etc.
Optional: Email your pitch to an editor who might be interested.
You can research magazines and the editors who work for them using resources such as Who Pays Writers, or Googling the magazine and looking at its masthead.

Additional Resources

Nancy Nigrosh

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