One of my main assignments this summer has been keeping up with our Scripted writer blog. With this constant influx of creativity, I feel I’ve learned a lot about what makes a good idea (in both writing and life). After reviewing so many topics, I can tell almost immediately which pitches I’m going to accept, and which ones I’m going to reject based off of three criteria. Here are three of the most helpful tips and tricks writers have used to grab my attention.
Eye Popping Titles
The first thing to work on with any pitch is the title. If you can’t hook a reader on your topic in 15 words or less, then your pitch will mostlikely be rejected. The best titles normally contain some form of a “How to…”, or any other actionable tip a reader can follow to better themselves. Remember to say as much as you can with as few words as possible. Your title needs to immediately grab the reader’s attention; it should be the reason they continue reading your post. The best titles are the ones that clearly show what is elaborated upon in the post, so make sure your title makes it obvious.
Write a Short Description
Every once in a while I’ll see a pitch that catches my attention, but realistically I’ll have no idea what the writer wants to talk about. Just because you know what your topic will be about doesn’t mean a title alone can explain it. Just in case it isn’t immediately clear, be sure to include a brief synopsis of what you’re planning on writing about. After all, it can’t hurt to play it on the safe side. This description should be a basic outline of your article, so you should try to be as detailed as possible without giving away your full story. If your title leaves the reader guessing about what your post is going to be about, then at least they’ll still have your description.
Think Outside the Box
There is nothing better than receiving an original pitch with a lot of promise. It’s twice as likely an interesting topic will be accepted, and for good reason. After all, no one wants to read about the same thing over and over. Even if your pitch is a little out there, it never hurts to pitch an interesting idea and get rejected. Just remember, you miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.
So there you have it. These are the three key things that will help make your pitches stronger and hopefully lead to more acceptances. What are you waiting for, pitch away!