Pitching to magazines
Are you thinking about pitching some content to a magazine or website to promote your artwork/art business?
We spoke to Rosalind Sack Founder of the The Home Page on this very subject and she gave us some great advice.
You can watch her interview HERE and you can listen to the podcast HERE
Here is a quick run through of some of Rosalind's top tips:
1. Make sure you are completely aligned to the magazine/website you are pitching to.
Consider:
Where you want your story to be published?
Is it a great short story for a website, or a longer-read feature for a magazine? Imagine where your story might sit and what it would bring and how it would add value to the publication.
And check if they have run a similar feature recently, as they are unlikely to repeat the same subject unless there is a clear reason or distinctly different angle/approach being offered.
To be successful your pitch will need to have a clear benefit to the publication/website if they are going to run with it.
2. Hone your pitch.
Keep it clear succinct and easy to understand at a glance.
Put PITCH in the subject line and include:
A suggested headline - catchy/grabber
A story summary (no more than 250 words) - not the full story, just an idea/concept.
Your back story and links to your social media - saying why you and why now basically, with some evidence.
Attach a couple of hi res images of your VERY BEST work.
3. Send your pitch to a specific person
Do your research and send your email to the person who is in charge of the magazine/section/supplement or website you have identified.
Sending to an unknown faceless person is very unlikely to achieve the outcome you desire.
How? you could find the correct contact via twitter, instagram or Linkedin. Making a first contact via one of these platforms can ease the way for your pitch considerably.
Alternatively a google search may offer you the information you are looking for.
4. Once you have sent your pitch, wait about 7 days and if you haven't heard anything follow up.
Be polite and check in to see if they have any questions.
A good old fashioned phone call is also an option if there is a telephone number for the person available in the public domain.
Pitching for a book deal is a similar methodology and again complete alignment with the chosen publisher is key. There is little point submitting a fiction book to a non fiction publisher for example!
