My clips were wiped from the internet. What now?

Plus: What does a pitch rejection *really* mean?

Hello friends! Welcome to another edition in our series of Q&A posts, in which I’ll pick a few reader-submitted questions and offer my take. Got something you need advice on? Email me at tim@freelancingwithtim.com or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Now, onto the Q’s!

The place I used to write for disappeared, along with all my clips. How can I explain this to a new editor?

I'm about to send out my first pitches, and I have a question about clips. The only place I've been published in was a retailer's blog that has since been taken down. How do I handle this? Add links to my drafts and briefly explain the situation? Contact the editor to see if he'd be a reference? Leave them off altogether? —Anonymous

Ohhhh boy, yep. This tragedy is near and dear to my heart, and one that is sadly all too common among journalists, myself included. There’s basically no evidence of the first three years of my career because the publication I worked at redesigned its website and wiped out the entire archive. Cool, super fun.

First, the solution to this problem — and how to avoid being caught in it in the first place — is to always save PDFs of your clips once they’re published. You never know when an outlet is going to fold, or a site redesign will wipe out its archives, so saving those PDFs is critical. Your browser likely has a screenshot function built in, so you can capture the entire page super quick. If you’re not already in the habit of doing this, make it a top priority. Once your clips are gone from the internet, odds are they’re gone for good. (You might get lucky if Wayback Machine happened to snap it, but certainly don’t rely on that.)

Alas, we don’t always have the foresight to do that. In this reader’s particular case, I would be upfront with the new editor and explain the situation. This probably wouldn’t be the first time the editor has heard this tale, and it won’t be the last, so they’ll understand. If you don’t have any other clips whatsoever, it probably wouldn’t hurt to see if that old editor wouldn’t mind serving as a reference, but that will get you only so far (if the editor is even willing to go with it). I typically wouldn’t advise a freelancer to send along drafts of a story, but if you have the final, published version of your best clips, it probably wouldn’t hurt to include them with your explanation. Editors understand this happens, and there’s really nothing anyone can do about it, so just being honest and open about it is kind of the only option.

Still, this is a good learning experience (if quite a difficult one). Save those PDFs, y’all!!

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What does a rejection *really* mean?

I got a cordial rejection from NYT, and it got me thinking — what’s in a no? What does a non-response mean, what does a thoughtful response mean, and can you pitch another editor at the same publication? How long before you can pitch the same editor another idea? And do you respond to the rejection or spare their inbox? — Anonymous

Sigh, yes, rejections are unfortunately just a part of the freelance life. Some are pleasant (as much as they can be, at least), some less so. But they all kind of sting on some level. (Here’s some advice on how to deal with them.)

But as this reader is getting at, rejections are most certainly not the end of the conversation, and are very much not the end of your idea or pitch. A no from one editor is not a no to the entire story idea. Always keep that in mind.

In order, let’s tackle the individual questions at hand:

What does a non-response mean? Tbh, nothing really. Don’t read into it! Editors get dozens of pitches per week, and editors at big publications may get hundreds. To wit: When I commissioned stories at NYT, it wasn’t uncommon to receive hundreds of pitches per day. If editors responded to every single pitch they got, that would be their entire job. In a perfect world, they’d have the time to, but they just don’t. If you’ve sent a few follow-ups (no more than two!) and you still haven’t heard anything back, assume it’s a pass. Things do slip through the cracks, but if the editor really wants it they’ll get in touch. But again, a no from one editor isn’t a no to the idea.

What does a thoughtful response mean? Generally, if the editor takes the time to individually respond with a rejection, it probably means you’ve got the go-ahead to continue pitching them (doubly so if they give you specific feedback or give you a reason they turned it down that had nothing to do with the idea). If you’re lucky enough to get more than a generic, “Thanks, but it’s not the right fit” type of response, keep sending along ideas.

Can you pitch another editor at the same publication? This one is tricky. I generally advise against pitching the rejected idea to an editor in the same section — it may be likely that your idea was discussed at an editorial pitch meeting or something like that — so it’s best to avoid. That said, if there’s a completely unrelated section of the outlet that it might fit in, that may be worth considering. If you go that route, try to modify the pitch to best fit the new section you’re pitching. As for whether you should mention that you pitched it elsewhere in the newsroom ... I dunno. I know editors who would be offended by the very idea of repurposing a pitch for a different section, but I also know editors who would just be happy you might be able to land it elsewhere in the organization. So feel it out and use your best judgment. (Sorry, I know that’s squishy, but this one really depends on the situation and the personalities involved.)

How long before you can pitch the same editor another idea? This all depends on your relationship with the editor, but also the editor’s preferences. If this is an editor you work with somewhat regularly, give it a week or two then have at it. On the other hand, if this is an editor you constantly work with — say, at least one or two commissions or more per month — you’re probably safe to send more pitches whenever. And really, that’s the goal place you want to be at with an editor. My regular freelancers at NYT would pitch me multiple times per week (sometimes even just over text for my super-regulars), so the stronger your working relationship with an editor is, the more free you should feel in pitching them. But also remember the golden rule: Don’t be an asshole. That’s it!

Do you respond to the rejection or spare their inbox? If they offer thoughtful and specific feedback, a little acknowledgement doesn’t hurt at all (and may help foster an ongoing working relationship). But if it’s a boilerplate “not the right fit” type of rejection, you can probably skip the reply.

Good luck out there y’all!
-Tim

P.S. — Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the FWT database of freelance rates for 300+ publications. I’ll update the database about twice a month, so please feel free to share some of your own recent rates here.

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