GET ATTENTION. GET PUBLISHED. Making a story pitch

The favoured five Who, what, when, where, why (... just like the press release, remember?)  Who’s involved?  What’s worth knowing about?  When is it happening?  Where is it happening?  Why should I care? (Why now and what’s the significance?)

Get it right After identifying the five ‘Ws’...  Check for writer’s guidelines (some publications post them online)  Ensure the story idea and tone suit the content of the medium (read what they’ve published, listen to the broadcasts)  Remember, a local story pitch has a greater chance than a pitch to national media

Making the pitch  Explain why you’re the ‘write person’ to do the story  Make your pitch specific and detailed – but short (three or four paragraphs max)  The pitch = a synopsis of the story (or a sample of what it might read like)  Include a relevant statistic if one exists  Put the pitch in the body of the , never as an attachment  For print media, include a good photo if you have one

Finding a ‘hook’ The hook could be an event, a specific time of year (holidays, seasonal foods), a trend (food as nutraceuticals), something new, a ‘big’ name associated with the story... See the Garlic Festival story pitch Tasty foie gras without the burden of guilt Tasty foie gras without the burden of guilt - Globe and Mail, Dec. 27/11 Against foodie culture– Globe and Mail, May 9/13Against foodie culture Remember, local story pitches differ from national pitches (The Stratford Beacon Herald versus The Globe and Mail).

From pitching to publishing The story gets press timeThe story gets press time...

Another kind of ‘hook’ An inspirational hook, a unique, moving story See Elizabeth Grandbois story pitch...

IF YOUR STORY IS REALLY JUST ADVERTISING DISGUISED AS A STORY PITCH....FORGET IT.

Now you try it... Work with a partner Write a story pitch about one of these three scenerios, then share it with the class 1) Girlfriend’s Celiac disease leads man to launch gluten-free bakery 2) Artisanal cheeses (Monforte Dairy) served at G-20 summit dinner in Toronto 3) Consumer appetite for better quality olive oils (single estate, organic etc.) leads to opening of shop specializing in high-end olive oils and vinegars