Being turned down is painful. It doesn’t matter if rejection comes at the hands of a crush, employer or editor, the sting can as sharp as a scorpion attack. But it’s how you learn from failure that separates the despondent from the successful.
As a freelance writer who sends more than 250 pitches a year, I recognize how overhwhelming it can be to remain positive amid the No’s and It’s Not Right For Us’s. But the pain lessens over time, like how a stubbed toe can instigate a barrage of cursing but eventually the throbbing ache subsides.
So does hearing from an editor who rejects a pitch. But if you read between the emailed lines, you can uncover ways to lessen the chances of being turned down next time.
Editors may reply to a query with, “This doesn’t work for our audience/readership.” If they don’t share any more details, figure out if your pitch was truly tailored to that news network’s audience or if you didn’t dig deep enough into the outlet to discern what made this audience unique. Remember, a pitch for BBC News will be vastly different than one for Scientific American.
I have also read rejections that told me I hadn’t found a strong news hook. I knew the story was intriguing, the characters were compelling, but I hadn’t convinced editors that this article had to be written now. Going back to the drawing board isn’t entirely necessary; rather, I found some timely studies or reports to strengthen the revised pitch, and if I recall correctly, more often than not the updated pitch would be more appealing to editors and encourage more commissions.
Finally, is the idea meaty enough? If an editor doesn’t say so, review the rejected pitch and spot areas that were scant on details or light on statistical evidence to bolster your theory or theme. That doesn’t mean you have to add another 300 words to the pitch. More likely, you need to fill in a few blanks to carry the pitch over the finish line.
If you have more questions about to successfully pitch editors and level up your freelance business, contact me anytime or learn more about the coaching programs I offer to writers.
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