Hello friends! Welcome to another edition of FWT’s Q&A series, in which I pick out a reader-submitted question or two and offer my take. Today we have an excellent question from a reader that comes up all the time and can be a little knotty. So let’s get straight to it.
(If you’ve got a question about freelancing or the wider world of journalism, please send it my way and I may feature it in a future Q&A newsletter! The more specific the better, so let’s see ’em. Email me at [email protected] or fill out this form with your question(s).)
How much do I need to know about my sources before pitching?
When might you need to secure sources (or even conduct interviews) before pitching, vs. just noting the “types” of sources you’d want to include or whom you plan to reach out to? How many sources should you typically include for different types/lengths of articles? What kind of details/updates on the piece should you offer the sources (if any)?
Great questions all! But, as with most things when it comes to freelance journalism, the answer to most of these questions is: It depends on the story. But I’ll do my best to offer some concrete guidance.
First, remember that figuring out sourcing for your pitch is all unpaid labor that may never pay off. (See this previous newsletter for more about pre-reporting a story.) As a rule of thumb for pitching, I always say that you should do the absolute minimum amount of pre-reporting required for you to understand the shape, complexities, and nuances of your story, and to be able to explain them in the pitch to the editor. Once you’ve crossed that threshold, you should be set for your pre-reporting. Why do more work than is necessary, especially when you have no idea whether it’ll pay off?
Let’s break this question down into four parts:
When should I secure access to sources before pitching vs. just noting the “types” of sources I’d want or who I’d plan to reach out to? In general, it’s usually not necessary to name specific sources you’d want to include in the story, unless you feel it’s especially germane and/or you know for sure you might want to include them. If not, usually just noting the “type” of source you’d reach out to is good enough. For example, when I’m pitching stories about careers, I’ll most often just say I’ll interview a career coach, HR specialist, résumé consultant, and so on, rather than the specific people in those categories I’ll reach out to. (That’s what I do in basically every pitch.) Finding sources to speak with you after you’ve sold the story is rarely a problem (unless it is ... more on that in a future newsletter).
The exception here is when the story hinges on a specific person. If you’re pitching, say, a profile, or a story featuring one specific person’s perspective or insight, or an investigation that couldn’t exist without XYZ’s participation, yeah, you wanna secure access before pitching.
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Sept. 17 @ 4 p.m. Eastern: How to come up with better story ideas, feat. Emily Stewart of Business Insider. We’re tackling the most common problem for every writer: How do I come up with more — and better — story ideas? For this workshop, I’m bringing in the big guns. Emily is famous for finding unique angles to ongoing news stories and digging up ideas that never fail to surprise and delight readers, and she'll give us all a peek into her process so we can all generate stronger, more original, and more attention-getting story ideas. (Upgraded subscribers get 50% off registration, and all registrants will get a recording of the workshop.)
Should I interview sources before sending the pitch/getting the commission? Not usually, but there are tons of exceptions. Most pitches don’t normally require that kind of pre-reporting, but sometimes they do. In those cases, just use something as simple as a cold email to your source saying something along the lines of, “Hi, I’m researching a story around X topic, and I’m wondering if you might be up for an off-the-record 10-minute phone chat to help me shape my thinking around this topic.” Keep it simple, and keep the stakes low.
And, though it seems like a small point, it can be super helpful to make clear that this pre-reporting interview is off the record. You want your source to be able to speak candidly and offer honest thoughts without worrying that they’ll inadvertently say something incomplete or not fully cohesive and have that quote published somewhere.
What is the “right” number of sources for a given story? Who knows! There is no right answer to this. All I’ll say is that for a shorter story (say, 1,000 words or less), I’d never publish anything with fewer than three or four sources. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s common — and usually necessary — for big features and stories to have dozens of sources. Basically: Talk with your editor about it.
Should I tell the sources what I’m including from them in the story? This one is a little tricky, since at this point you don’t even know if you’re going to include a given source in your story.
First, assuming you’re still in the pre-interview phase, just be totally transparent and say you’re still researching to help you shape your thinking around the idea. It’s clear, you’re not making any promises that may fall through, and most importantly, it’s just the truth. Right now you have no clue what will be in your story, much less whether this specific source will be, and even then, what you’ll be using from this source.
But ultimately, this question kind of jumps the gun a bit since we’re just pre-reporting the pitch. Only after the story is commissioned and you’re working with an editor on your reporting plan — and, further still, once you’re actually writing the story and winnowing down your quotes and reporting — does this really come into play. And once you get there, just keep in mind that old journalism 101 rule: No source in your story should be surprised by what’s in the story. (All that said … it depends, and ask your editor. Starting to feel like that should just be the new tagline for this newsletter.)
Have a great week!
The FWT store is officially open!
At long last, I’ve just launched the Freelancing With Tim Store! This is the spot where you can access recorded workshops, including sessions on Travel writing, launching newsletters, using social media to find work, and much more. I’ll be regularly adding new workshops and other products to it, but take a look around and pick something up if it looks interesting!
Oh, a few other things …
A few posts for paid subscribers recently: The exact text of a pitch sold to STAT for $1,800; Freelance careers are built in the gaps; The only pitch format you’ll (mostly) ever need; A handy guide to sorting out your sources for a pitch. If you’re interested in upgrading, just click below!
Got a pitch that sold recently? I’d love to feature it in a future edition of our #pitchesthatsold series! Email me at [email protected] and put “#pitchesthatsold” in the subject line. Can’t wait to see ’em!
How much were you paid for your last assignment? Feel free to contribute to our ongoing freelance rate database here. I’ll be publishing updated results of this survey next month!
Got a question about freelancing or the wider world of journalism? Let’s hear it, and I may feature it in a future Q&A post! Fill out this form with your question(s).
I offer one-on-one coaching! Is your story falling apart and you need a second set of eyes on it? Want a seasoned perspective on a pitch you’re kicking around? Interested in talking about careers and/or building your freelance business? Maybe just want an edit on a story draft? I’ve got you covered! Click below to book a one-on-one coaching session to talk about pitches, story ideas and development, editing, careers, or anything else you might need help with! (Paid subscribers get 33% off any one-on-one session.)