Editor’s note: This article features advice from Anne Russell, who at the time of our original interview was editor-in-chief of Shape magazine. Russell has since added to an already impressive resume, including a stint as editor-in-chief of VIV magazine. She continues to work today as a writer, editor, and content creator in Los Angeles, where she has been president of Extra Special Media since 2013. Her advice holds up as well as ever.
Here’s one we hear all the time: “I want to pitch to magazines and newspapers, but I don’t have any clips. No one will give me an assignment without clips, but how will I get a clip until I have an assignment?”
That’s an excellent question — but, you’ll be surprised to hear, the dilemma isn’t as intractable as it seems. We checked in with Anne Russell, former editor-in-chief of Shape magazine and president of Extra Special Media, who gives these suggestions.
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Start small
Start with something doable. Concentrate on pitching to publications that actually accept work from writers without clips — and they do exist. Small publications are often willing to take a chance on first-timers, so try newsletters and local newspapers and magazines.
Not sure how to get in front of editors to begin with? Here’s advice on connecting with editors, even if you’re not in a major media market.
Focus on the freebies
Write for freebie newspapers and magazines, which have small budgets and are therefore always eager for unpaid contributors. Insist on choosing a topic yourself. This is your golden opportunity to generate a sample that demonstrates your ability to write about a certain subject. Editors will focus on the quality of your work rather than the publication it appeared in. Branded content outlets and content marketing publications are also worth considering — companies are always looking for contributors, and those clips are increasingly recognized by editors as legitimate samples of your work.
Deal with daily sites
You can often drum up quick clips writing for websites that have daily needs for fresh content. The caliber of the provider can matter, so shoot for reputable and recognizable sites that can give you a brand-name writing sample. But something’s better than nothing, so write for any pub that’ll have you.
The same logic applies to newsletters. Substack and similar platforms have become legitimate publishing venues, and a byline in a well-read newsletter can be just as useful as a traditional website clip. It also helps to build a writer’s website where you can house everything in one place.
Just make sure your final, edited article is free of typos and misspellings. A writing sample with mistakes will not work in your favor — even if you aren’t responsible for them.
Pitch with references
When you send a pitch without clips — or with only byline-less clips — consider attaching a list of references. Compile the names of editors or former colleagues who have supervised your work (even if it wasn’t writing work you did for them) and include their contact information.
Two to three people will suffice; more than four is overkill. Just make sure that these references are actually prepared to vouch for you — a bunch of names might seem impressive, but the editor will call and a fake reference will be found out.
Play up your focus fields
Forget that you don’t have much journalism experience; you probably have stellar credentials in other fields. Don’t underestimate the value of your own expertise. Are you a dentist? A history buff? Do you have a hobby you’ve perfected? Focus your efforts on publications that cover your area of expertise. Here’s how to position yourself as a subject-matter expert that editors actually want to hear from.
In your letter, play up your specialized knowledge, not your writing skills. Take full advantage of anything and everything you have going for you.
Pitch the unique, interview the evasive
Pitch story ideas that only you can do. Spend some time hunting down an unusual idea that you are uniquely qualified to cover. Or, better still, nail an interview with someone who is known for being elusive.
The goal is to present an opportunity to an editor that she cannot refuse, and this is what will give you the edge against all those other people who have clips. Remember that more than anything else, editors are hungry for new and different stories.
Sell with your pitch letter
Demonstrate quality writing in your pitch letter — it’s a written document, after all, and it should prove your ability to communicate ideas and concepts. Without clips, the prose in your pitch letter assumes greater significance. Here’s a breakdown of the elements that make a pitch letter work.
Opt for op-eds
Write a personal essay or an opinion piece. Of course, an editor won’t assign a first-person piece like this based on a query letter, so you have to do the work first before you can shop it around. Your advantage here is that the writing speaks for itself. Before you submit, make sure you’re not making one of these common personal essay mistakes.
Resist the urge
And, finally, remember: When you don’t have samples of non-fiction writing, it’s tempting to send an editor samples of other types of writing you have done, such as poetry, a song or a screenplay. Resist this temptation. These things don’t show you have a command of journalism — and they just might freak out the editor.
