Freelancers Tell All: 12 Writers on Pitching and How Work Has Shifted During COVID
Could pitching be any more difficult right now? In the current climate, pitching editors and writers is like running on the side of a highway in the rain. No matter how careful you are to not get hit by a car, you’re still going to end up getting splashed.
OK, so maybe that metaphor is weird—it’s in my head right now as I’m quarantining at my in-laws’ home that sits near a busy highway. My point is: However delicately you approach pitching (or even if you pull back and pitch very selectively or not at all), you’re still feeling the impact of the current world situation in your day-to-day work. And even the most well-thought-out emails can come across the wrong way when sent to the wrong person at the right time.
Over the past few months, I’ve held six Office Hours sessions on Zoom leading conversations about how to pitch freelance writers during this time and what editors are looking for. As things continue to evolve, those discussions continue to be so relevant—so today, I’ve interviewed 11 top freelance writers in my circle about who they write for, how their freelance work has shifted over the last few months and what they’re looking for in PR pitches now. Stay tuned for more upcoming Office Hours that will feature live discussions with talented freelance writers covering many different beats from around the country.
Kelsey Ogletree
Top publications: AARP, Wall Street Journal, Midwest Living, Shape, MyRecipes
How freelance work has shifted: Many of the travel pubs I was writing for previously (including in-
flights) have temporarily frozen freelance budgets (like The Points Guy and Robb Report) and/or scrapped travel sections altogether for the time being (such as WSJ’s Off Duty Travel, which now is publishing a section called “Reading and Retreating”). This has narrowed down my list of editors to pitch, which has been disappointing but also an opportunity for me to craft really specific, unique pitches for the pubs that are still accepting. I’ve also been pitching other non-travel publications more frequently and getting more stories on business topics, such as Fast Company. While I was slammed with work in March, April and most of May, things have started to slow in June. I feel optimistic that more travel stories and budgets will come back into this summer, however. Pitching for me right now is more important than ever to sustain my business, as assigned pieces (i.e., ones that editors approach me about) have become few and far between, and editors are being much more selective about what stories get commissioned these days.
How PR pitching needs have changed: Targeted, specific pitches that truly fit the publications I write for, as well as my interests and writing style, are critical. I was always able to manage my inbox well until COVID hit, and then for some reason, pitches and emails just went through the roof. I’m getting about 1,000-1,200 emails a week right now (you can check your own using this tool), so it’s really overwhelming when I get pitches that aren’t relevant or specific to me—there’s no way for me to respond to all of them, even with a quick line about why it doesn’t work. I’d rather receive fewer, better pitches, and have publicists follow me on Twitter and through my newsletter to learn what I’m working on.
Ramsey Qubein
Top publications: NerdWallet, AFAR, Conde Nast Traveler, Business Traveler, CNBC
How freelance work has shifted: I have always written a lot of service stories, like how to use your miles and points or when is the best time to book airline tickets, etc. The COVID pandemic shifted that a bit to how to manage travel now (postpone/cancel/refund/what to do with miles and points/when do I book for the future). Assignments shifted a bit in tone, number and focus; some publications slowed freelance submissions. I have been trying to remain focused on writing what readers are interested in right now, and yes, that still includes travel whenever they are next able to venture near or far.
How PR pitching needs have changed: Nothing has really changed. Of course, I am always happy to hear how people are doing and what their life is like at the moment. It provides perspective and promotes a greater understanding. Plus, dialogue as to what we are writing and what PR people are hearing from their clients is always helpful. If all hotels are saying, don't promote our destination or property for the time being (yes, some were saying that), it's important to know that. So the open dialogue has been helpful to understand the landscape, but for me, not much has changed in this area.
Leslie Goldman
Top publications: O, The Oprah Magazine, Better Homes & Garden, Parents, TheGirlfriend.com
How freelance work has shifted: I've been fortunate in that I'm still very busy with work. I haven't noticed a slowdown, other than work I've had to turn down simply because I now need to juggle my job with teaching our little ones. My editors, almost all of whom are women and mostly are parents, totally understand the chaos and have been very understanding in terms of deadlines, which has been immensely helpful.
How PR pitching needs have changed: My needs haven't changed - I'm always happy to receive pitches that make sense for my outlets, but, as usual, do not need follow-up emails. A lot of what I am writing is COVID-related, i.e. what it's like to have cancer and COVID or depression and COVID. But I'm also still writing non-COVID stuff, such as profiles of interesting people doing great things in the world, season-specific health and fitness pieces, nutrition, etc.
Kate Silver
Top publications: Washington Post, American Express Business Trends and Insights, Politico FOCUS, Chicago Health Magazine
How freelance work has shifted: Initially, work was very busy, both with publications and brands responding to COVID and with work that had started prior to the pandemic. I write quite a bit about travel, health and small business, and those were all areas that heavily impacted and editors were hungry for content. Now, things are significantly slower. I attribute it to a mix of uncertainty and summer (which tends to slow down) and am hopeful it’ll pick back up.
How PR pitching needs have changed: Evergreen stories seem to be on hold right now. The main pitches that will resonate with me at the moment revolve around small businesses. What trends have arisen because of recent events (COVID and BLM protests)? What are some unique pivots that small business owners are making? Who are some Chicago healthcare workers who have done notable things recently? That kind of thing.
Cindy Kuzma
Top publications: Runner's World, Chicago Magazine, Women's Running, SELF
How freelance work has shifted: I've been writing more articles specifically about coronavirus and more fast-turnaround pieces. Covering running is pretty different right now, with no races or other competitions; instead, I've focused on how the pandemic, systemic racism and related issues have impacted runners while continuing to look for individual stories of athletes doing incredible things. I've had some assignments cut or frozen—for instance, the monthly Health & Wellness newsletter I write for Chicago Magazine is on pause—but other clients have actually picked up.
How PR pitching needs have changed: There's a lot that hasn't changed, even if the topics are different. I still need experts to shed light on health, fitness, and sports issues; trends in those same spaces; and stories of runners and other athletes overcoming obstacles. However, I would expect greater sensitivity to issues of racism and discrimination in all these areas and also a recognition that deadlines are often tighter now, and I have less tolerance than in the past for pseudoscience and questionable health claims.
Brigitt Earley
Top publications: Oprahmag.com, Apartment Therapy, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce
How freelance work has shifted: Because I have two toddlers at home, my work hours are significantly limited. I went from working at least seven or eight hours per day to working three or four—at most. That said, my workload has not changed much, so I've had to work at odd hours and become creative about being more efficient.
How PR pitching needs have changed: As a result of these changes, succinct and relevant pitches are more necessary than ever. Unfortunately, I also don't have time to attend the vast majority of virtual events and meetings, since I have to be so careful with my time. I appreciate the folks who understand this and can send the information I need through email or mailer. Also, for the vast majority of the content I create, I'm not pitching ideas to editors—I'm taking a monthly set of SEO-driven assignments and need access to specific experts, namely makeup artists, hair stylists, home pros, dermatologists, and other doctors. Some of the PR relationships I value most are with people who understand this and check in with me at the beginning of each month (when I get my big batch of work) to see if any of their experts might be a fit. It's really streamlined the process (for both of us, I think!) and has solidified some really nice, reliable working relationships.
Leigh Weingus
Top publications: HuffPost, Byrdie, Well + Good, Shape, Glamour
How freelance work has shifted: Editors are now looking for really timely stories. Especially as a health writer, the bulk of stories that get approved are going to be about COVID. But it doesn't have to be just about the disease itself—it can also be around the mental health issues that can come with so much time spent alone, or the anxiety around job loss and money. Based on the stories that are now approved, I've definitely changed the way I pitch.
How PR pitching needs have changed: Pitches need to be timely. Between COVID and what's going on with BLM, no editor wants an evergreen pitch these days. It needs to be related to the current conversation around race and health.
Michelle Gross
Top publications: Business Insider, Forbes, Robb Report, Thrillist
How freelance work has shifted: The scope of my work has really shifted these past few months from covering travel as a leisurely endeavor to more service and news focused content. News is more important than ever right now, especially as it pertains to how to travel safely and effectively. Readers need for accurate and up-to-date information as it pertains to how hotels and destinations are operating when it comes to new safety protocols and procedures is at a premium. It's been interesting seeing that shift in focus over to the service side of how to travel safely and responsibly right now.
How PR pitching needs have changed: There's so much uncertainty as far as travel goes, and I can definitely appreciate the fact that it's a challenging time to pitch. It goes both ways. That said, I'd love to see more PR pitches that humanize what's happening in our world as far as the BLM movement and COVID. I'd love to see more aspirational and inspirational stories about individuals in our space doing cool and interesting things. People (myself included) need these stories now more than ever. I also think it's time to get creative. I've been finding cool ways to integrate past travel experiences and turn them into relevant news stories. Last week, I wrote a story about a trip I took pre-COVID to Japan and tied it to a mindfulness technique that can easily be practiced from home. This is just one recent example of something I came up with, but I think it's a good example of ways we can highlight a destination like Japan while making it relevant to our current status of working and being quarantined at home. Finally, in an effort to be completely transparent, I can't wait to travel again. I'm itching like everyone I know to get back on the road. That said, I'm not loving the virtual press trip pitches I've been getting lately. I think let's wait a beat for the world to open back up. Then it's game on!
Katherine Parker-Magyar
Top publications: Forbes, TripSavvy, Recorder Newspapers
How freelance work has shifted: I am still writing about travel! For TripSavvy, I'm contributing my Caribbean stories, and I'm still covering travel for Forbes every month. I end up writing 10-11 stories a month for those two outlets alone, so I’m always open to new ideas. I also write a monthly travel feature for the Recorder Newspapers, though that has been paused in recent months due to COVID, but will likely pick back up again.
How PR pitching needs have changed: I am still interested in receiving pitches about travel. At the moment, though I'm still covering travel, I'm tailoring the angle to reflect this period of lockdown. So, for example, books to read/ movies to watch, virtual travel, etc. Also focusing on interviews as well, and narrative travel stories. But as things re-open, newsy stories will be much appreciated!
Samantha Lande
Top publications: Food Network, TLC, Allrecipes
How freelance work has shifted: The landscape has drastically changed over the past few months. Much of my prior work had been events based—new restaurant openings, places to go with your kids—and that quickly came to a halt. I had to then shift to virtual events and things to do. On top of that, many publications cut freelance budgets, shortened turnaround times for articles or didn't have the same bandwidth to quickly approve pitches. On top of that, there are many publications vying to cover the same topics in different ways, so the landscape has become very challenging.
How PR pitching needs have changed: It’s important to be sensitive during this time. It irks me when PR professionals don't acknowledge the current landscape and have empathy for what's going on in the world, and also for what it's like to be a freelancer right now. More than ever, I likely don't know when an article will be published or if I'll be able to successfully pitch something that I know was a slam dunk in the past. Some follow-up is fine, but I think patience and grace is equally as important. I'm still open to hearing about great new products or people to profile, but just know that placement is as challenging as ever—even with good stories.
Yined Ramirez-Hendrix
Top publications: El Nuevo Herald, Selecta, American Airlines’ Nexos and Volaris.
How freelance work has shifted: I have been a Miami-based freelance writer for Spanish publications since 2005 and have experienced peaks and valleys in this profession like so many of others. But during the past few months, travel writing and local lifestyle coverage work came to a halt. I turned in my pending stories and have refocused on English to Spanish translation work, which has seen an uptick due to the COVID crisis and the fact that I live in a multicultural city.
How PR pitching needs have changed: Since most of my writing is about inspirational travel stories and local Miami restaurants for traditional pubs like newspapers and print magazines, the one-size-fits-all pitch doesn’t work for me. I cannot turn a press release into a catchy write-up in a day. I have received countless pitches about virtual tours from destinations, but that doesn’t work for print. With Miami reopening, I’ve seen a more cautious approach from PR, which I appreciate and understand. No one wants to claim we’re back to normal, because we’re not. I can’t cover timely news since I’m more focused on print and the fact that we’re in a touch-and-go environment regarding the virus and the economy.
Patricia Doherty
Top publications: Travel + Leisure, Departures, LA Weekly
How freelance work has shifted: Over the past few months, my writing assignments have been fewer, not due to COVID (although that has shifted the topics). The main issue for me now, residing in California, is the legislation that passed in this state, AB-5, requiring that "gig workers" become employees. I'm sure you're aware of how this has affected freelance workers in many categories who are now limited to a certain number of assignments. Employers are understandably reluctant to take on the administrative work of managing with these limitations, and it is not at all practical to sign on freelance writers, photographers, etc. as employees.
How PR pitching needs have changed: As far as pitches from PR professionals, I'm open to input about destinations, hotels, restaurants and even products that relate to travel. Road travel topics are of interest, and T+L has asked for domestic destinations over the past few months. That may change soon. I'm always fine with hearing about clients, and even OK with a follow-up. Often, I simply don't have a way to cover their clients, so more than one follow-up is not necessary. I do have a few PR companies and individuals I work with frequently, and their approach is friendly, thorough, understanding and helpful. I like creative ideas and approaches that will help me formulate an effective pitch. I don't have time for meetings I'm often asked for. I've done that a few times, and I don't find it productive, although I understand that PR reps want their clients to have the exposure that a personal meeting provides.
Did you find this post useful as you craft pitches and consider your strategy going forward? Which other writers would you like to see featured on this blog? What other questions would you love to see answered by freelance writers? Share with me in the comments below.