Story pitch forms are a useful tool for reporters who are developing a story. Use this form to guide your thinking about what your article will be about and whom you will contact to interview for your story. Remember the requirements of our stories:
— Each story will be 500-750 words in length.
— Each story will have no fewer than THREE SEPARATE HUMAN SOURCES whom you have interviewed.
— If you’re covering a speech story, you must include lots of quotes from the speech or lecture; comment about the speech from a member of the audience; and comment from one other type of source, which might be another audience member, an event organizer, a protester, or someone else who provides an opposing viewpoint about the ideas presented by the person who gave the lecture or speech.
Topic Beat Story Pitch Form
- The topic, issue, or public event I plan to write is about:
- This story is appropriate to my beat because:
- This story is timely because:
- These are among the people in the community (aka stakeholders) who are affected by this topic or issue:
- My leader source will be:
This source can answer the following questions I have about this story:
- My expert source will be:
This source can answer the following questions I have about this story:
- My functionary source will be:
This source can answer the following questions I have about this story:
- My real people source or sources will be:
This source can answer the following questions I have about this story:
- These are the names of the three people with whom I am setting up interviews for this story:
Source 1:
Person’s name:
Email:
Phone number:
Source 2:
Person’s name:
Email:
Phone number:
Source 3:
Person’s name:
Email:
Phone number: