Story pitching

Please read this article on Poynter.org about story pitching: "6 questions journalists should be able to answer before pitching a story" We will discuss the general ideas in our first group meeting. Once you have read this article, please read this sample pitch turned in by a student for a class assignment:

Dear Mr. Clifford,

I would like to propose a story idea centered on something very iconic to FSU: its trees, plants, and the people who take care of them. Seven of FSU’s maintenance crewmembers have become certified as Florida Master Gardeners through the University of Florida. I would like to interview each of these maintenance crewmembers about what it means to be a Florida Master Gardener and what made them want to become one.

I would interview each gardener about the new plants on campus, how they decide to put which plants where, and how the information they gained while going through the certification process influences those decisions. I would also like to include their suggestions to students on how they can help take care of the plants on campus, especially regarding invasive species.

This article could be accompanied by an online graphic, where a map of campus is shown, and areas with new plants are highlighted. Pull boxes could be placed next to those highlighted areas, listing the kinds of new plants in that area. We could also include “problem areas” in the graphic. Online, we could make these areas click-able. Readers could click on the highlighted area and see a video of one of the gardeners explaining that area of campus, along with a short bio for that gardener.

The article would run about 1,500 words and would focus on each of the gardeners and their journey on becoming a Florida Master Gardner. I can have the full article to you by February 1.

My previous work includes book reviews for Families on the Go magazine, fiction published in the Oracle literary magazine, educational blogs for the NASA INSPIRE Program, and additional content for educational websites. Please visit my website at: student.wix.com/portfolio to see examples of my work.

I would love to hear back from you with any comments or editorial suggestions. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,