Understand the five main components of a golden pitch

By mastering the art of pitching, you’ll win the freelancing game. Whether you’re an aspiring or beginner freelancer serious about getting paid for their writing, either as a side hustle or a full-time career, this playbook is for you. We developed this guide to show you the elements of a good story and demystify the art of pitching by breaking down the components of the golden pitch that’ll get you a yes. 

This playbook will also show you where to find calls for pitches, connect with prospects, and provide templates that you can customize to your needs. You’ll come out of this playbook with a first draft of your pitch letter based on the templates we provided you with. You’ll also know how to find prospects and where to find calls for pitches.

So, buckle up and enjoy the journey, and please don’t skip the exercises. They will help cement your understanding of the material explained here.

Happy pitching.

Writing the golden pitch

A writing pitch is a story description intended to convince an editor, a publisher, or a marketing manager to commission a writer for a piece for publication.

In essence, it’s like a proposal that freelancers submit to prospective clients to get hired for a writing project. Think of it as an opportunity to wow potential clients with your qualifications and expertise, and could potentially land you more business down the line. 

Why do you need a writing pitch? 

The main reason writers need to pitch is that the editors ask for it (see examples below). Remember, the editors don't want you to send them a whole article before they approve the idea first.

Pitching can also help writers establish relationships with clients and publications, leading to ongoing work and opportunities in the future.

The main components of the golden pitch

The process of writing a strong pitch includes researching the company, demonstrating your understanding of its requirements, outlining any relevant experience, showcasing your unique abilities, and, most importantly, ensuring that your pitch is tailored to their specific publication. 

Taking the time to craft an effective writing pitch could be the difference between getting hired and not. So don’t just rush through it—take your time and put thought into each pitch element to give yourself the best chance of success! 

Here are the five main elements that make for a winning pitch:

• The greeting

• The introduction

• The idea

• The credibility

• The ask

In the following steps, we’ll ask you to fill in tried and true templates. By the end, you’ll have complete pitches that you can send to editors. 

Make a copy of these two pitch templates

First, make a copy of the following workbook. You’ll need to fill it out as you go along this playbook. For your reference, here are two a tested pitch templates in PDF format:

✏️ Pitching to an editor.

✏️ Pitching to a marketing manager.

A successful pitch and the published story that came from it

Below is an example of a pitch I sent to a daily publication in the Middle East that was accepted. You can view my published story with my byline here. By the end of this playbook, you’ll have one just like this!

Why was this pitch successful?

Look at the example provided and reflect on why the pitch was accepted. Was it the topic suggested, the email structure, or the sources mentioned? Or maybe a combination of reasons?