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Topic: Subject line for e-mailed pitch
| Author | Message |
| mamamel | Posted – 11/28/2007 3:22:42 PM | show profile | email poster Does anyone have any advice for what to put into a subject line when you're e-mailing a magazine a story idea? Is it corny to do "story idea" or "pitch" and then a teaser about the story? I am sending out cold pitches and don't want it to look like spam! |
| Linda F | Posted – 11/28/2007 3:32:40 PM | show profile Mamamel, I think if you start with "story idea" or "pitch," the editor might think you're a PR person pitching something. I sometimes start with "Query from writer," or I just use the title of the idea I'm pitching if it's compelling. Just don't do what I did once when pitching an idea called "What's That Smell?" I had heard that you should include your name in the subject line to make it easier for the editor to indentify and look up later, and this is how it came out: "Query: What's That Smell? Linda Formichelli" Of course, I realized my faux pas the instant the e-mail disappeared from sight. Well, at least it's good for a laugh! Linda -- Renegade Writer E-Courses: Food Writing, Trade Writing & More http://therenegadewriter.com/?page_id=340 |
| recovering_jersey_girl | Posted – 11/28/2007 3:42:37 PM | show profile Linda, that cracked me up! Thanks for the laugh. |
| mamamel | Posted – 11/28/2007 4:42:36 PM | show profile | email poster Linda, Thanks so much for your helpful suggestions and for your hilarious anecdote. Total LOL. |
| madcasey | Posted – 11/30/2007 6:42:12 PM | show profile No Spam! Your first priority should be to make sure that the editor doesn't think your email is spam. Ever get frustrated with spam messages and various generally legitimate mailing lists you've ended up on over the years? Take that and multiply it by a hundred. Editors get hundreds of emails a day, many from spammers, many from PR lists they're on, many from writers like yourself. Coming up with a cute subject line might be appealing (and effective, too), but running the risk of looking like a spam message when editors must delete hundreds of them a day is just too risky. The flip side is, if you identify yourself immediately as a writer sending along a query, you might get shuffled aside quickly or kicked out to an assistant whose job isn't to evaluate writers. But that's the risk. The above advice is for the best: let them know what your message is before they open it--or, worse, before deleting it! |
| Letterbox | Posted – 11/30/2007 7:32:32 PM | show profile Linda, you didn't mention if that subject line arroused any interest. I think I would have read it to see if it was meant to be a pun. |
| jkdscribe | Posted – 12/1/2007 10:41:39 AM | show profile "Freelance query" That's what I usually use. I figure it's short and to the point without looking too flashy like spam. I'm open to suggestion as well, of course. |
| Seafarer | Posted – 12/1/2007 11:44:56 AM | show profile | email poster I use "Article Query: XYZ proposed topic" and that seems to work. ------ My Web site Family Travel blog NHRA drag racing on Fast Machines |
| Linda F | Posted – 12/1/2007 8:51:15 PM | show profile Letterbox, I did end up selling the idea to a newsstand health mag, but I can't recall if they were the ones I sent the funny subject line to. I don't think it was. Linda |
| Mr Media | Posted – 12/2/2007 9:02:42 AM | show profile If I am asking a question I will type "freelance query" or "freelance question" or "pitch submission". However, if I am pitching an article I simply type "submission" to let the editor know that I am submitting an article. You definitely need to let the editor know you're pitching an article or an article proposal. I agree "story idea" is not specific enough. I think "freelance query question" or "pitch submission" or "submission" are exactly to the point are specific. You want to capture the editor's attention to let he or she know the intentions of your e-mail the more specific you are the better. |
| webtastic | Posted – 12/2/2007 2:56:49 PM | show profile If I have gotten the editor's e-mail from someone else through networking I write: "So and So Said You Might Be Interested in This." The name of the person they know will get their attention. If it's more of a cold call, I use: "PITCH: Concise Article Topic." |
