Kristen Fischer's Blog Member of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors
  • Home
  • Portfolio
  • Professional Profile

Hunting for Editor Emails

April 28, 2020

One of the most frustrating parts of being a freelance journalist aside from the actual writing is finding editors to pitch your work to. I’ve grappled with this for years, and I think I always will. Why? Editors frequently leave their posts. Not every editor informs you they are leaving, or who their replacement will be. You’re often left in the dust. This is kind of how the business rolls.

Of course, there are ways to make it a little easier. You’ll probably have to pay for those resources, but they can be well worth it. I’m a big supporter of Freelance Success. Their newsletter and community are very forthcoming when it comes to sharing contact information. Others, such as

Here’s a new tool I found: Hunter. While it does not spell out which editor to contact, it does let you plug in a URL and see what emails are affiliated with it. Most of the publication websites–especially with print options–didn’t light up, but it was helpful to see what formulas are used. It also gave a few personal emails. Then I plugged them in to see if the person was still working there and pitchable.

It’s not a GREAT tool, but you need all the help you can get to keep tabs on editors–especially if you pitch different publications frequently.

Categories: journalism, pitching, Uncategorized

5 Questions You’re Not Asking Sources, But Should Be Asking

January 22, 2019

As journalists, our job is not to simply ask questions–but to ask the ones that get original comments and insights that inform the reader! While I don’t cover many topics that are controversial and don’t have to ask gripping questions, I like to throw out a question or two during an interview that my source hasn’t heard. As such, I get answers that other publications may not be receiving, which gives my work a different angle. Editors love that.

While some organizations only want the news, you may add value to it by asking a question that other reporters may not think to bring up.

Here are a few that I try to include during interviews.

  1. What surprised you about this? Sometimes we get so wrapped up covering the who/what/when/where/why of things that we forget to prompt our source to give their personal opinion. Instead of inquiring about what the source thinks, ask them what surprised them about something. I love doing this for medical studies because an author likely knows what the outcome of an experiment will be, but you may get more insight into why findings should matter for a reader if you can tell them what surprised the expert. You can also use other feelings in place of “surprised” for other topics, such as “What angered you about this?” or “What pleased you most about this?”
  2. What is the media getting wrong in the coverage about this? I love this one because it gives you a chance to get it right. This can be a huge win because some sources have been interviewed multiple times and see inaccurate articles being posted with their comments referenced or taken out of context. They may be reluctant to share with you because you’re “the media.” When I can come in and “clean up the mess,” I please the source and the publication I’m writing for.
  3. What don’t you want people to take from this? We often ask sources to explain something or share how they feel about it. This doesn’t let the source speak to the reader who may not be fully comprehending the story or the ramifications of the news. This question addresses it!
  4. What does this mean for people? Got a source that can’t quite seem to break technical information down in layman’s terms? Note the audience of your article and ask the source what it means for that specific group of people. When I write consumer health news, I talk to a lot of researchers and doctors who are wrapped up in the findings and may not be able to translate the details into valuable information for consumers. This question helps you target your audience and get your source to speak to them directly.
  5. Anything you want to add off the record? While I’m all about getting the best comment to quote, sometimes you may understand the perspective of an issue by asking for information off the record. Not only can it help you understand an issue or action taken (or not taken), but it can give you insight to prompt another source who will speak about something on the record. It can also lead you to another story idea!

Got questions or just want to connect? Visit my website or read up on the latest NAIWE news!

Categories: Uncategorized Tags: article content, journalism, NAIWE, news, news coverage, news writing, reporter, reporting

Recent Posts

  • More Info Needed? How to Get All You Need the Second Time Around
  • Considering a Career Change?
  • The Importance Diversifying Sources in Journalism
  • Hunting for Editor Emails
  • 5 Tips for Celebrity Interview Success

Monthly Digest

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • NAIWE

Latest Posts

More Info Needed? How to Get All You Need the Second Time Around

November 29, 2021

Considering a Career Change?

December 9, 2020

The Importance Diversifying Sources in Journalism

June 22, 2020

Hunting for Editor Emails

April 28, 2020

5 Tips for Celebrity Interview Success

January 2, 2020

Blurred Lines? Know the Journo Norms

November 15, 2019

Contact Us

  • 804-476-4484
  • P.O. Box 412
    Montpelier, VA 23192-0412
Facebook Instagram Linkedin twitter

© NAIWE. All rights reserved. Designed by My House of Design.