story-pitch

# Story pitch guide Good stories die in bad pitches. This skill covers pitch structure, angle development, and outlet-specific formatting. ## When to use - Pitching stories to editors (internal or external) - Developing freelance query letters - Refining story angles before reporting - Competing for assignment in a newsroom - Proposal writing for grants or fellowships ## The pitch fundamentals ### What every pitch needs 1. **The hook**: Why should anyone care? Why now? 2. **The story**: What will you show/reveal/explain? 3. **The evidence**: What do you have? What can you get? 4. **The access**: Who will you talk to? What will you see? 5. **The ask**: What do you need (time, budget, resources)? ### The "so what" test Before pitching, answer: - **Why this story?** (significance) - **Why now?** (timeliness/news hook) - **Why you?** (access, expertise, angle) - **Why this outlet?** (audience fit) If you can't answer all four, you're not ready to pitch. ## Pitch templates by type ### Daily news pitch For quick-turn stories to assignment editors. ```markdown **Slug:** [2-3 word identifier] **Pitch:** [One sentence: What's the news?] **Why now:** [What makes this timely?] **Sources:** [Who you'll talk to] **Timeline:** [When you can file] **Format:** [Length, multimedia] Example: **Slug:** Council-Budget-Vote **Pitch:** City council votes tonight on controversial police budget increase. **Why now:** Final vote after months of debate, protests expected. **Sources:** Co...