Pitch your story! - StoryMaker

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And what makes a good one?</p> <p> In journalism, a pitch is an idea for a story that you send to an editor in hopes they give you the green light, so you can move forward to make your story and get it published. </p> </div> <div class="text-2xl mb-10"> <p class="after-arrow"> Student reporter Dakota Hendren shares tips for writing a successful pitch. Student reporter Dakota Hendren <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey1pB3hpOao" class="underline">shares tips</a> for writing a successful pitch. </p> </div> <div> <a class="inline-flex text-sm lg:text-lg mt-6 btn lg:!px-10 lg:!pb-3 lg:!pt-4" href="https://airtable.com/app1hyQ4ULrUoWsSy/shrLvVnrTGb6DvQIV"> <div class="flex flex-row h-full w-full items-center">PITCH YOUR STORY IDEA TO SRL!</div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="hidden lg:inline"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey1pB3hpOao"> <img src="https://d2m06gwiiv9vk7.cloudfront.net/images/landing-pages/pitch/dakota.jpg" alt="Pitch Example image"> </a> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="relative w-full bg-gradient-to-b from-[#A6ECEA] via-[#93D1FF] to-[#93D1FF] md:px-20 2xl:px-0"> <div class="absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full bg-white opacity-20"></div> <div class="relative flex flex-col w-full max-w-[1400px] mx-auto px-10 lg:px-0"> <h2 style="background-image: url(https://d2m06gwiiv9vk7.cloudfront.net/images/landing-pages/pitch/underline.png)" class="max-w-[530px] bg-contain bg-bottom bg-no-repeat text-2xl font-semibold text-color_srl_slate pb-4 my-16"> Keep these tips in mind when writing your pitch </h2> <div class="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2"> <div class="xl:pr-16 flex flex-col"> <div class="text-lg flex flex-col gap-y-5 mb-5"> <ol class="ordered-heading-list"> <li> <h4>PITCH A STORY, NOT JUST A TOPIC</h4> <p> Topics can be interesting, but SRL is looking for you to pitch a specific story. Stories have a narrative structure: a beginning, middle and end, conflict & resolution, and interesting characters. </p> </li> <li> <h4>INCLUDE GREAT CHARACTERS</h4> <p> Who are the people in your story? Find your characters(i.e. the people you interview) before you send in a pitch. Are these people willing to talk to you on the record, and be in a published story? Confirm their willingness to participate in your story before pitching SRL. </p> </li> <li> <h4>PRE-PRODUCTION & PRE-INTERVIEWS</h4> <p> Speak to your potential interview subjects ahead of timeand do a "pre-interview". Spend time taking notes on what they say, and incorporate the knowledge people share with you into your pitch. Discuss logistics: when, how & where you will meet to do the interview. </p> </li> </ol> </div> </div> <div class="flex-col hidden lg:inline-flex"> <div class="flex-1"></div> <img class="max-h-[713px] pl-10 ml-10" src="https://d2m06gwiiv9vk7.cloudfront.net/images/landing-pages/pitch/boy_talking.png" alt="Pitch Example image"> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="relative w-full pt-10 lg:pt-16 2xl:pt-40 bg-gradient-to-r from-color_accent_gradient_green to-color_accent_gradient_blue md:px-20 2xl:px-0"> <div class="absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full bg-white opacity-50"></div> <div class="relative flex flex-col w-full max-w-[1400px] mx-auto px-10 lg:px-0"> <div class="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-2"> <div class="flex-col hidden lg:inline-flex"> <div class="flex-1"></div> <img class="min-h-[400px] w-auto mr-10" src="https://d2m06gwiiv9vk7.cloudfront.net/images/landing-pages/pitch/girl_typing.png" alt="Pitch Example image"> </div> <div class="lg:pl-16 flex flex-col"> <div class="text-lg flex flex-col gap-y-5 mb-5"> <ol class="ordered-heading-list"> <li> <h4>LOOK UP FACTS & STATISTICS</h4> <p>What data or statistics can inform your story?</p> </li> <li> <h4>DOES THIS HAVE A NEWS HOOK</h4> <p>Why should your audience learn about this story right now? What makes it timely?</p> </li> <li> <h4>WHAT鈥橲 AT STAKE?</h4> <p>Why does this story matter?</p> </li> <li> <h4>KEEP IT SHORT</h4> <p> After you do all the research, make phone calls and talk to people. Write up a plan and keep your pitch fairly short (a paragraph or two max.) Create a suggested headline and think about why someone else would stop what they鈥檙e doing and pay attention to this story. </p> </li> </ol> <div class="mb-10"> <a class="inline-flex text-sm btn btn--inverse !bg-white/30 lg:!px-10 lg:!py-4" href="https://airtable.com/app1hyQ4ULrUoWsSy/shrLvVnrTGb6DvQIV">PITCH YOUR STORY IDEA TO SRL! </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="relative w-full bg-gradient-to-b from-[#A6ECEA] via-[#93D1FF] to-[#93D1FF] md:px-20 2xl:px-0"> <div class="absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full bg-white opacity-20"></div> <div class="relative flex flex-col w-full max-w-[1400px] mx-auto px-5 lg:px-0"> <div class="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-4"> <div class="px-5 py-20 flex flex-col lg:col-span-2"> <div class="text-lg flex flex-col gap-y-5 mb-5"> <p>Note: Pitches will go through a review process before any decisions are made about producing the story.</p> <p>If the story pitch was selected, a Youth Media Producer will reach out to you for next steps.</p> <p> If your pitch is approved, SRL typically requires stories to go through at least two rounds of editing and revisions. </p> <p> Before pitching, please be sure you鈥檙e willing to engage in this back-and-forth editing process, which involves receiving and responding to constructive feedback from the SRL team, and submitting more than one draft of your story. </p> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ieCfjJjP6U"> <p class="underline">It can be time consuming but hopefully worth it in the end!</p> </a> <p>Check out an example of a successful pitch <a class="underline" href="https://assets.studentreportinglabs.org/uploads/2023/09/07100203/Pitch-Example1-scaled.jpg">here</a>. </p> </div> </div> <div class="hidden lg:inline-flex col-span-2 flex-col items-center justify-center"> <div class="video-wrapper-medium" style='background-image: url("https://img.youtube.com/vi/7ieCfjJjP6U/sddefault.jpg");''> <iframe id="player-7ieCfjJjP6U" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ieCfjJjP6U?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> <button id="play-btn-7ieCfjJjP6U" class="play-btn video-play" data-video-id="7ieCfjJjP6U"> <svg width="69" height="69" viewBox="0 0 69 69" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <rect width="68.5012" height="68.5012" rx="34.2506" fill="#5BCFFF" /> <path d="M46.99 32.879C47.6567 33.2639 47.6567 34.2261 46.99 34.611L29.3725 44.7825C28.7058 45.1674 27.8725 44.6863 27.8725 43.9165L27.8725 23.5735C27.8725 22.8037 28.7058 22.3226 29.3725 22.7075L46.99 32.879Z" fill="white" /> </svg> </button> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://d2m06gwiiv9vk7.cloudfront.net/js/main.js"></script> <footer class="grid w-full grid-cols-1 pb-6 text-base srl-footer pt-14 font-extralight md:pl-72 md:grid-cols-6 md:gap-4 print:hidden"> <div class="max-w-screen-xl col-span-3 px-4 pb-8 mx-auto"> <div> StoryMaker is a free learning platform developed by PBS News Student Reporting Labs to build the next generation of media creators. 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Pitch your story! - StoryMaker