Pitching
Selling your work to editors
77 articles tagged pitching, drawn from across the archive.
Alliance union join
Alliance union join If you have joined the Alliance, you would be in the AJA section, the Australian Journalists' Association. It...
Apostrophes: A Simple Guide
The apostrophe Many writers (even good ones) mis-use the apostrophe. But you will find that editors appreciate articles with...
Bibliographies and References
Now, regarding: copies of research articles copies of internet research bibliographies lists of references inventories thanks to...
Buzzwords: Stop Using Them
Buzzwords Careful of using too many buzzwords But , you might enjoy this interview!! Frank Lingua, president and CEO of...
Byline
You failed to insert your byline. Don't rely on your editor to remember to insert it. Your editor may even think you don't want...
Capitals
Capital letters Some directions to my students on capitals: ?I would ask that you don't write in ALL CAPITALS. First of all it...
Contacts - building them
Building contacts is one of the most important things a journalist does. Say you're in insurance broking, so you already have a...
Contracts for Freelancers
You ask about the freelancer's contract. I know nothing about this so-called contract. I don't know why it's mentioned in the...
Copy-Typing
COPY-TYPING Here's a suggestion that most of my students ignore. Will you? Think carefully before you ignore this. As you know, I...
Court Reporting
You ask about court reporting. If you're writing 'on spec' you should arrive at court early and approach the Clerk of the Court...
Editors, how to avoid their discouragement
Editors: how to avoid their discouragement You point out that your target publication has rules that preclude you sending-in an...
Email - contacting editors
Re contacting editors by email. Be careful. Editors receive so much junk email and spam, and so many viruses, they often delete...
Email-your address
Your current email address should be improved. Here's why your full name should be your email address and here's why your NAME...
Excuses about getting back
Excuses: making them to yourself People not 'getting back' to you is one of the great frustrations of journalism. This is what I...
Factual errors-accuracy
Factual errors and accuracy Plagiarism may be the worst sin in journalism, but a close second is creating a factual error (or any...
Famous column, wise advice
Famous Story, Wise Advice This is a famous column written way back in 1963. It led to the editors' wise saying: 'Always look for...
Fictional stories
Fictional stories There is no point in writing fictional stories if you want to be a journalist. This is journalism, not creative...
First drafts unacceptable
A 'draft' is a first or preliminary form of any writing, subject to revision and copying. If a student sends me a 'first draft'...
Getting a Reference
All references are nonsense but I will write you one IF . . . I am not happy to write references for those students who have not...
Grammar-books, internet
Regarding grammar books. I can recommend one small book that will answer most of your questions: The Plain English Guide by...
Haggling With Editors
You ask about haggling over money. Well, my strong advice is don't haggle in the early days. It's more important to get published...
Handwriting
Handwriting . . . sorry, but your handwriting is nearly as bad as mine. Please don't handwrite ANYTHING. Type everything, even...
Headline Writing
You're NOT writing headlines in the best way. Here's how to write a headline: Don't for a moment imagine the publication will use...
Hilary Doling: A Travel Writing Masterclass
Published in the travel section of The (Sydney) Sun-Herald and reprinted with permission This article was written by the...
How to Improve Your Writing
How to improve your writing Many students ask me a question like: 'How can I improve my writing?' Well, you can read books, study...
How to Sell Your Article: Fast and Correctly
How to sell your article - fast and correctly I recommend strongly against 'query letters'. I hate them, as do all editors. You...
How to Write Ages
Ages of people Editors of most publications want to know how old people are. If a person is rowing single-handed around...
Humor - Bad headlines
Humor: BAD HEADLINES Grandmother of eight makes hole in one Deaf mute gets new hearing in killing Police begin campaign to run...
I and i
You must never write 'i' when you mean 'I'. It makes you look LAZY. Too lazy to press the shift key while pressing the 'i' key...
Invoice Form: An Example
This is a rough guide for how your invoice should look. Important: you must write 'Tax Invoice' at the top if you have an ABN...
Its-it's
You've mixed up its and it's as many people do. its is the possessive form. This is one of the few possessive forms of a word in...
Latin Abbreviations for Journalists
Most Latin abbreviations in English have faded out of newspaper copy. A few remain. Simon's rule was that a journalist who uses a...
Lay-lie
Lay and lie. It's important to get it right, even though many editors don't know the difference. Lay means to put something down...
Layout
Layout Your article MUST look like this 2.5cm (1 inch) margins on all 4 sides ALWAYS nominate a publication Exact wordcount FOR...
Letters to editor
Letters to the editor from journalists It's good that journalists, like any other citizens, write letters to newspapers. But I...
Making Television: Best Advice
So, you have a great idea for a TV show. Now what? By SIMON TOWNSEND This guide for my students is negative, off-putting and...
Names - first names only
You're using first (or given) names only. Yes, you see a lot of this in Australian magazines. But many stories which have first...
Names - not real
I notice you have noted that the names you use are not real names. To an editor this means you, the writer, have failed to...
Numbers
NUMBERS must be written correctly Be sure to re-read an edition of your target publication and check how it uses numbers, because...
Obituaries
Obituaries By Suzy Baldwin Suzy Baldwin is The Sydney Morning Herald's obituaries editor Once a plain death notice, the obituary...
Page Numbering: What Editors Demand
Page numbering as editors demand Your pages must be numbered correctly. If not numbered at all, or, if numbered the wrong way...
Phone Shyness: Getting Over It
Phone shyness can be controlled By SIMON TOWNSEND You can't beat shyness, but you can control it. I can show you ways to help...
Plastic
Please send only sheets of paper, not any plastic stuff. Plastic! Cardboard! Some new freelancers make the mistake of using...
Pseudonyms
I advise against fake names Regarding pen names or pseudonyms . . . I strongly recommend against the idea of you using a fake...
Quotes of the famous
Famous quotes MUST be accurate If you use a famous quote from a famous person, you must get it 100% accurate. Your editor will...
Quotes, how to write quotes
How to write quotes (6 pages) Punctuation Of Quotes You must use quotations 100% correctly. You will find different rules about...
Rejection horrible
Sorry to hear of your rejection. Well, of course that's to be expected. Rejection is not failure, it's just what all writers go...
Sexist language
You have used sexist language. * Unless you're writing for 'lads' mags' like Ralph or FHM, or some old fashioned country weekly...
Simon Says
Simon's voice, when he was teaching, was short sentences. Short paragraphs. Sharp rules. The kind of advice he would fire down...
Simon Townsend's 10 Rules for Freelance Journalists
Simon Townsend 's 10 Rules for being a productive freelance journalist and staying successful Rule 1: Manage your fear of...
Simultaneous multiple submissions
SMS (simultaneous multiple submissions) Regarding simultaneous multiple submissions. This is where a freelance journalist sends...
Solutions, Not Problems
I've run my own publications and my own television programs. That is, I've been the boss. I always lay down a golden rule: my...
Staple A4 size
Zz You MUST, please, present your work neatly and impressively, Zz. Whether you're sending material to me, an experienced editor...
Student, only a
You ask about how to approach people for interviews and information while you are 'ONLY' a student. No. Sorry, you misunderstand...
Style Guides
Style guides, sometimes called editorial guidelines. The truth is today, few publications give out style guides. I believe they...
Sub-Editing: What It Is
You ask about sub-editing. A sub-editor is NOT the editor's assistant, or SUBstitute editor. A sub-editor is a journalist who...
Syndication: Selling Your Work Twice
Syndication in Australia I'm sorry, I have only disappointing information. Say you sell an article to The Daily Telegraph in...
Tautology: Saying It Twice
Tautology . . . what is it? You could have easily looked this up yourself, by going back through an experienced editorials, or on...
The Best Kind of Photos
You've asked about the best kind of photographs. I suppose the best photographs are the ones that editors will buy and publish...
The Complete Guide to Finding Ideas
4-page complete guide to ideas By SIMON TOWNSEND You are entitled to take great pride in having good ideas for articles. But I'm...
The Do's and Don'ts of Journalism
Do Not Return This Separately: Send Only With Your Next Assignment DOs and DON'Ts This does not count towards your qualification...
The Journalist's Digital Toolkit
Simon carried a notebook, a pen, a phone, a tape recorder, and a Filofax. That was the kit for forty years of working journalism...
Traineeship Guidelines
Reprinted with permission from The Sydney Morning Herald website Fairfax editorial traineeships John Fairfax Ltd offers graduate...
Travel - point of contact
POINT OF CONTACT WHILE TRAVELLING: Newly trained journalists going away on a long or indeterminate trip worry about how editors...
TV-how to pitch
How to pitch an idea for a TV show Author: EMMA-KATE DOBBIN Source: The Sydney Morning Herald's 'Radar' section Reprinted With...
Typewriting and Handwriting
Student problems with typewriting and handwriting I can't believe it, but in today's world about two students a year say they...
What Editors Really Want From You
Editors: what they really want from you Editors are a hard-nosed, hard-hearted lot. The only aspects they remember about us...
What Should You Get Paid?
There is no fixed rate for freelance journalism in Australia. What you get paid depends on who commissioned you, how desperate...
When an Editor Explains Rejection
Editors owe you nothing Well, an editor is not a teacher. He's not there to help you or to foster your career. That's my job. Use...
Where to Pitch: Australian Publications That Commission Freelance Work
Simon's advice to freelancers started with one question: do you know who you are sending this to? Most pitches that failed, in...
Where to Pitch: Australian Publications Today
A guide to Australian publications that accept freelance contributions. The media landscape has changed dramatically. Here is...
Which publication
Which publication should you target? Nobody can answer that question for you. If someone else picks your target and the editor...
Wise advice
Wise Advice Pin This Up Somewhere You'Ll See It !! When you've finished writing, check your article for logic, facts, syntax...
Word limit-more,less
A word limit means just that: a limit. When you are instructed by your editor (or by your journalism journey or by an experienced...
Word-count
Word-count FIRST question is . . . how many words should be in your article? I don't know. But you can easily make a decision...
Writer's Block: It's Not What You Think
You have mentioned not getting on with your intended article. Well, like you I have no magic answer. Not finishing a piece of...
Written vs Spoken Quotes
Written quotes vs spoken Regarding conducting an interview (or getting answers to questions) via email or letters. Yes, sure it's...