How to Find More Creativity in your Pitch

How can you make your story pitch stand out among the thousand of pitches editors and reporters receive every day?

Sure, it starts with having a good relationship with the editor. But also having a killer subject line followed by an attention-grabbing pitch can ensure your email doesn’t go directly to the trash folder.

When I was a kid, there was a popular magazine called Discovery Girls that was written by girls for girls ages 8-12.  Instead of using celebrity figures and models on the covers, this tween magazine featured girls from across the country.

In every issue, there would be around 12 girls that shared their hobbies, embarrassing stories, and advice on common problems like how to stand up to a bully or how to be a good friend. At the end of each issue, there were instructions on how readers could submit photos and stories to be featured in an upcoming issue.

I submitted some photos and answered their questions on colored construction paper decorating it with glittery stickers and rhinestones. I was sure that would catch the attention of the magazine editors. A few issues later, I read about how creative other applicants were.

One girl, whose family had owned a Chinese restaurant, had submitted her answers in fortune cookies. So, when the editors came to her application, they got to crack open fortune cookies to read her answers and get a yummy treat as well. What a fun and memorable experience!

Little did I know then that my creative “story pitching” talents would come in handy as a public relations practitioner.