Career Tool

Pitch Analyzer

Editors do not have time to read your musings. A pitch is a business proposal. Score yours before you hit send.

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Is there a clear narrative arc? A topic is not a story. "Corruption in city hall" is a topic. "How the deputy mayor bypassed procurement rules to award $2M to his brother-in-law" is a story.

Do you have exclusive access or documents? Why are you the only person who can write this? Do you have the primary documents, the whistleblower, or the dataset?

Is the "nut graf" explicitly stated in the first 3 paragraphs? The editor needs to know exactly why this matters to their specific readership immediately.

Is the logistics plan included? Estimated word count, required travel budget, photography needs, and deadline for first draft.

Pitch is Ready to Send

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Essential Resources

Essential Resources

Investigative

Ethics & Law

Craft & Career