How to Write a Great Pitch for a Freelance Writing Job

11 tips plus an example at the end

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When you become a freelance writer, one of the first things you must learn is how to write a pitch for your clients.

What is a pitch? It is a brief letter describing your interest to write for a client. In the said pitch, you try to convince the editor or the person in charge to accept the story you want to write for them. It can be a one-time job or an on-going work engagement.

The important thing is to establish contact with the client, find the right person to send your pitch to and provide them with information they need to allow you to write for them.

Here are some tips to help you write a compelling pitch for your writing:

1. Know your potential client/s

Know your client. Is the publication, website or business within your niche? Do they cater to young ones or to a more mature niche?

What types of articles or blog posts have they written so far? Do they have a “Submissions Page” on their website to indicate that they are regularly accepting posts from freelancers?

Can you find the name of the person to address your pitch to? Are the respective editors listed on their site?

It is always better if you can find the exact name of the person you are writing to instead of beginning your letter with a generic greeting like “Dear Editor.”

If the name of the editor is not directly written in their website’s submission page, you can try the following:

• Look at the other pages of the website including the “About Us” page. You can also read some of the articles published there. Sometimes, the author’s name is listed as well as the credentials and you can just find the one who is the editor of the publication.

• Search for the company on LinkedIn. You may find a list of its officers and other people working there.

• Browse their social media profiles like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

• Ask fellow writers on online groups and forums.