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Topic: "Pitching" a essay already written - how do fast?
| Author | Message |
| PatriciaJ11 | Posted – 2/5/2008 3:03:11 AM | show profile | email poster I wrote a short 1000 word true event essay in tribute to the crew of the Shuttle Columbia. I read now that you need to pitch an article months in advance. I am still not sure how to pitch (write in, email idea or what), and would still like to know if there is a remote possibility of getting the essay out there. As a beginner, it is learning as you go... but I am not a natural "pitcher" - how do you get noticed via email or phone? Any constructive comments welcome!! ------ PatriciaJ11 |
| writesonwater | Posted – 2/5/2008 9:01:14 AM | show profile Sounds like a column/editorial piece? At this point it's past -- the anniversary was Feb 1, so you need to work fast. Might try submitting it to papers either where the event occurred (Nacogdoches, Texas, elsewhere in Texas, like Ellis County) or to papers in the hometowns of the astronauts (look it up -- Wikipedia? Google?) Many places might take it as a letter to the editor or guest column. In newspaper, there's likely no money in that, but it gets your work and voice out there. If it's done and the moment is passing, I might email with a cover note. If you know editors, you could call them and tell them you'd like to email it to them. I was caught off guard by the anniversary, shame on me. I might have come up with a piece -- we live in N. Texas, I heard the boom and I actually saw a shuttle tile that fell near where I live. The other thing you can do if you have no takers is to do a blog (easy to put up a blog site at blogger.com, takes 5 minutes) or to put up an article on searchwarp.com or some other place like that. No money in it, likely, but again, gets your work and voice out there. Good luck! |
| Village Gal | Posted – 2/5/2008 1:39:50 PM | show profile You generally don't pitch essays the way you pitch an article. With essays, you email the completed piece to the appropriate editor(s) with enough time in advance. Newspapers have a shorter lead time than magazines. You get noticed by submitting an outstanding piece in a timely fashion. |
| PatriciaJ11 | Posted – 2/13/2008 3:31:08 PM | show profile | email poster Pitching esssays - thanks for your feedback!! Thank you to the two who responded to me re pitching/submitting an essay already written in time...Freelancing is not easy, and it is really helpful when you are beginning. Since book writing takes a while, I thought I could earn a bit with freelance work...any and all constructive comments welcome...and any suggestions for other avenues for finding work!! Man, I would love to go over my 4 dollar a day meal budget!! thanks again... ------ PatriciaJ11 |
