I have a Masters in journalism but it wasn’t that that helped me to become published as a freelance journalist. It was: networking online, self-publishing my writing on a blog and learning the art of the pitch.
My first big commission was for the Guardian, a personal piece about losing my job when I had my first baby (see main image, above). It took me several attempts to get this published. First lesson: persevere, even if you’re ignored, at first.
A few years later, I set up a business and wrote articles about it for Forbes, each month (that came from online networking – being visible, making connections with other writers) and then, one for Stylist…
Another commission, for Metro, came about after I’d had a conversation with my grandma about loneliness. In my email pitch, I wrote a subject line that caught the editor’s attention and he commissioned me to write the article and make a video.
Would you like to learn how to pitch as a journalist?
My course – How to pitch as a journalist – will teach you all you need to know.
And I’ll be there to support you, via email, alongside the course.
Plus, I’ll do an edit on one of your pitches.