Posts Tagged ‘How to Pitch’

Initially launched as a newsletter for women in entertainment by industry veteran Jamie Foster Brown, Sister 2 Sister has been breaking stories in black Hollywood since 1988. And, unlike the gossip and innuendo rampant in the blogosphere, S2S routinely gets its information from the stars themselves.

“Our stories, they’re longer than what you’ll find in other publications, but they’re really more like conversations than interviews,” explained senior editor Ericka Boston. “Our mission is to try to teach. So, we’ll talk to the entertainers about the lessons that they’ve learned from whatever experiences they’ve gone through, and it’s more so about achieving an understanding, as opposed to just fishing for a headline.”

The pub also covers food and fitness trends and has an abundance of opportunities for freelancers. Have a great story in mind? For pitching etiquette and editors’ info, read How To Pitch: Sister 2 Sister.

– Sherry Yuan

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

California Lawyer may cover more nationally-oriented stories, like Supreme Court cases, but the mag always ties it all back to its home state.  To land a byline here, it indeed helps to be based in California, but writers don’t necessarily have to live in the Golden State to pitch.

Aimed at — you guessed it — California lawyers, the pub covers one of the most talked-about legal markets with analysis, in-depth features, technology updates and practical advice. “We cover groundbreaking cases, compelling controversies and fascinating personalities, and, as a monthly magazine, we seek to go beyond the headlines of the day with lively writing and in-depth reporting,” said managing editor Chuleenan Svetvilas.

Even better, they’re looking for more freelance feature writers. For pitching etiquette and editors’ contact info, read How To Pitch: California Lawyer.

– Sherry Yuan

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Always the one recommending music to your friends? Take it up a notch and introduce your favorite bands to FILTER magazine.

Created as an extension of Filter Music Media  in 2002, FILTER magazine remains true to its indie roots, anchored by the slogan/mission, “Good music will prevail.” What defines “good music” is ultimately up to the readers, but Pat McGuire, FILTER‘s editor-in-chief, is less inclined to cover the same mainstream, pop-friendly acts as [other] ‘zines.

“From the very beginning, we sought to expose music that doesn’t just exist to sell records and put a pretty face out there to the world,” he said.

And if you’re looking to write for the pub, “you have to make yourself stand out,” said McGuire. For pitching etiquette and editors’ contact info, read How To Pitch: FILTER.

– Sherry Yuan

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Think you’re ahead of the curb when it comes to health issues? At Delicious Living, a print pub with a niche audience of 350,000, over a fourth of the content is freelance-written. “We do still try to develop new relationships with freelancers that we can see from their experience are a good fit for us, and I’ll definitely take a chance on people,” editor-in-chief  Elisa Bosley said.

Previously titled Delicious!, the magazine covers all things related to natural health and eco-issues, as well as emphasizing that healthy food can taste good despite existing misconceptions. Its mission has remained the same over the years: “to be an educational tool for the natural products shopper.”

Careful, though. While the natural products industry has become more mainstream, editors are still looking for unique and well-researched health revelations that are more than just trends.

For more info, read How To Pitch: Delicious Living.

– Sherry Yuan

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

The tagline of “Healthy kids, happy families” encompasses both Parents‘ content and attitude. The magazine is primarily a service magazine, and editors deliver what readers initially come to the magazine for: information about children’s health, safety, nutrition, discipline and development. However, editors also want to help readers enjoy family life (not escape it), delivering positive stories about keeping a marriage happy and celebrating the holidays.

Parents has “a nice balance between the content related to children and content related to being a parent,” said deputy editor Diane Debrovner. And, lucky for writers, almost every section of this service pub is open to freelance pitches, and there are numerous ways for newbies to break into the book. 

Get all the details in How To Pitch: Parents.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Unlike most parenting magazines, Working Mother focuses on moms instead of kids. The service mag aims to help moms throughout a busy work day, and there are plenty of opportunities for freelancers to break in. The feature well is especially friendly, and a well tailored pitch could land your byline in one of the columns, too.

“Our readers are striving to find work-life satisfaction. They’re a driven bunch who are juggling not only work and children, but often aging parents, pets, you name it,” said editorial director Jennifer Owens. “They’re also highly social, communicating with us directly through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.”

Think you’ve got an idea that might work for their readers? Get details on who and what to pitch in How To Pitch: Working Mother.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Launched back in 1951, JET has been the authority on news in the black community for decades. With a loyal readership of over 7 million, freelancers with the right pitch will get prime real estate for their bylines.

Since the pub is largely news based, editors are looking for local stories from stringers who live in different parts of the country and can report on influential, headline-making topics in their own areas. They want to hear about news-making trends, like the outbreak of bigotry among fans at high school sporting events. So if you spot a breaking topic, pitch it with a vision for what the story will look like. “I’m always on the lookout for new trends at both the regional and national level,” said editor-in-chief Mitzi Miller.

For more, read How To Pitch: JET.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Even if you don’t live by the sea, Coastal Living welcomes your pitches. Just make sure your story has a coastal connection. Freelancers can break into the book with a well-tailored pitch and land $1 a word for their efforts. Topics include everything from home and design to travel and food.

Designed to be a breath of fresh air, Coastal Living “captures the joy of life by the sea by giving our readers the relaxed feeling and sense of renewal that you can only get by the beach,” according to the magazine’s mission statement. Coverage includes the East and West Coasts of North America, as well as the Gulf Coast, Great Lakes, Alaska, the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico.

For more, read How To Pitch: Coastal Living.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

Land just one assignment for Every Day With Rachael Ray, and you’re well on your way to establishing a relationship with the editors there. Sixty percent of the book is freelance written and editors regularly assign ideas to their trusted stable of writers. A couple of sections are particularly friendly to newbies — just make sure your pitch fits the pub’s lively tone, and soon, your byline could be traveling to the mag’s 1.7 million-plus readers.

Reading the magazine is “like your best friend is helping you cook dinner or helping plan your trip,” explained executive lifestyle editor Sonal Dutt. “So I think what sets us apart from anybody else is that we do have a real person that our reader can relate to, can see on their television and can feel like she’s there with you, guiding you through the process.”

For more info, read How To Pitch: Every Day With Rachael Ray.
The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

The FADER prides itself on being first on the scene when it comes to up-and-coming artists and music trends. Among the musicians who got their first mag covers at The FADER include Kanye West, MIA, The Strokes, Drake, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean and more. The magazine also holds the distinction of being the first publication to be distributed as a PDF through iTunes.

“We’re always interested in hearing more ideas from outside of our immediate field of vision. If you live outside of New York City and something unusual is happening local to you, that is what’s exciting,” said editor-in-chief Matthew Schnipper. “We’re interested in what we wouldn’t know about otherwise.”

For more, read How To Pitch: The FADER.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.