How to Customize Pitches for Written, Audio, and Visual Formats

In today’s fast-paced media landscape, the choice of format for storytelling is more important than ever. Whether it’s a feature article, a newsletter, a podcast, or a visual essay, each medium has its own unique set of rules and audience expectations that must be considered. The decision on how to deliver a story goes beyond just showcasing your skills – it can impact how your reporting is received, shared, and remembered.

Feature articles are a staple for most freelancers, and pitching them effectively requires highlighting the story’s relevance and timeliness. Madeleine Schwartz, founder and editor-in-chief of The Dial, emphasizes the importance of having a clear angle, contributing new information, and illuminating existing problems in your pitch. Showing preliminary research, presenting an action plan for reporting, and including relevant bylines can also add credibility to your proposal.

When it comes to newsletters, Cadence Bambenek, editor-in-chief of Hothouse, advises capturing a unique personality that stands out in a crowded inbox. Newsletter pitches should be concise and in the publication’s tone, with links to works that demonstrate a similar style and voice. Bambenek also suggests considering the length of the piece and potentially breaking down extensive narratives into serialized versions for easier consumption.

For visual stories, Nina Berman, a documentary photographer and journalism professor, stresses the importance of having a clear vision and logistical planning in your pitch. Whether it’s a video project or a photo essay, you need to address what will be seen, what access you have, and why your approach is unique. Providing a mood board or collage of images can help convey the project’s direction, and having a reported pitch with potential subjects can increase your chances of being commissioned.

Visual essays, as explained by Caitlyn Ralph from The Pudding, focus on telling stories visually through various outputs like data visualization, video, quizzes, and games. While graphic or coding skills are not required for pitching to The Pudding, demonstrating how visual elements can enhance the narrative is key to landing a commission. Topics that challenge assumptions and invite readers into a debate are more likely to be picked up.

In the realm of podcasts, Rowena Henley, a producer at Mags Creative, emphasizes the importance of finding incredible stories that engage listeners episode after episode. One-off stories with a distinct beginning, middle, and end, characters, events, twists, and turns are more likely to be picked up. Providing a working title, elevator pitch, breakdown of each episode, access to sources, and potential commissioners can strengthen your pitch. Paying attention to the sound effects that enhance the story’s audio texture is also crucial.

In conclusion, tailoring pitches to different mediums requires careful consideration of the format’s rules and audience expectations. By following the advice of experts in feature articles, newsletters, photo and video features, visual essays, and podcasts, you can increase your chances of getting your stories from proposal to publication successfully.