Pitches wanted (culture, San Francisco) | $200 to $400+ per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: SFGATE

Dan Gentile, Culture Editor at SFGate, is looking for pitches:

I know it's a tough time of year for freelance writers, so, pitch me! I'd love to assign a few
SFGate culture features for January. Rates $200-400+. Some great examples below.

Before pitching, ask yourself "would a regular-but-curious San Franciscan want to read this?" The answer must be yes or it's a non-starter. Also, don't just send an email that says "I'm a writer, I will write for you!"

Okay now onto the fun.

• PERFECT example of Stuart Schuffman finding a local hook for the TV show that everyone was/still is talking about: https://www.sfgate.com/streaming/article/san-francisco-white-lotus-heads-17656559.php
• Sex/dating content is hard, but is super fun when it works. Chin Lu nailed it here (but please don't pitch me a diary entry about your meet-cute): https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/trick-to-san-francisco-dating-17446896.php
• We love to dig into the history of San Francisco film, and this story from Eddie Kim is just lovely: https://www.sfgate.com/streaming/article/sf-filmmaker-esther-eng-documentary-17564868.php
• You want to look into the Satanic past of a weird SF house? https://www.sfgate.com/characters/article/This-Alamo-Square-Victorian-holds-100-years-of-SF-15651657.php
• We've scaled back on writing about every single streaming documentary, but still love a juicy one Lana Moore, especially if there's local ties. Also, we love deep dive into iconic local fashion brands (VS actually started in Palo Alto!): https://www.sfgate.com/streaming/article/hulu-doc-victorias-secret-review-17352498.php
• For better/worse, SF is obsessed with Burning Man. It's the offseason, but I'm still interested in BM-related features that appeal to non-Burners, like this great one from Annabel Ross: https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/burning-man-costco-soulmate-camp-17430717.php
• And let's not forget what might be my favorite freelance story of the year. Manuel Orbegozo finding a connection between a local DJ and literally the biggest news story in the world: https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/sf-dj-volunteers-in-ukraine-17338580.php
• I also love a good experiential stunt piece that shows readers something new about the city (but you need to prove you can write the hell out of it). Here's one of my favorites I wrote this year: https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/I-experienced-the-festival-opulence-of-the-2-000-17358158.php

Addendum: I am but the humble culture editor. Other editors handle pitches for food, local issues, politics, tech, travel and sports. They also want pitches, email them!

A FEW TIPS FOR FREELANCERS PITCHING STORIES TO EDITORS:

• Introduce yourself quickly with a couple of your best clips, that are relevant to the website
• Read the website that you’re pitching to, and show that by mentioning a story you liked
• Don’t pitch formats of pieces that aren’t published on the site (op-eds, poems, fiction)
• Send actual story ideas off the bat. Just a simple introduction and ask to write for a site will get ignored by most editors.
• Check that the website hasn’t already covered your idea, but make sure it fits with the site’s general style / format / length.
• Look specifically at headlines on the site, think about how yours can mimic them, and present at least one with your idea.
• Editors want to cover new ground, but it has to make sense for them. If you have an unexplored subject, explain why it makes sense in the context of the site’s other stories.
• Make the editor really want your story and it seem like you're easy to work with. This is literally a sales pitch.
• Write in a tone that shows you’re skilled, but don’t go overboard. If it’s a piece with a humorous angle, show that you’re capable of making it funny.
• There’s a difference between topics and angles. Dating in the pandemic is a topic. Dating an AI girlfriend app for a week is an angle (and I don’t recommend it). Come with an angle.
• Show that you’ve already put in some work and are familiar with the topic (initial research, obtaining access to sources), but don’t send completed pieces.
• Explain why this story matters right now, and why you’re the person to write it.
• Attachments are not recommended.
• Don’t pitch to multiple outlets at once, unless the story is super urgent.
• Follow up, but wait at least a few days unless it’s urgent or you already have a relationship with an editor.
• Don’t feel bad if your pitch isn’t accepted. I always viewed any reply from a new editor as a win, because it means I’m now on their radar and they’re more likely to reply to the next pitch.
• Keep a spreadsheet of editors you know so that you can easily reference where else to pitch next.
• Editors aren't going to steal your ideas unless they're shady, but keep in mind that they have staff writers, so if a story is something easy for a staffer to write it's less appealing
• Also, having a personal thread to a story is always good, but the story can't be just about your experience unless it's super interesting / unique, but also super relatable
• Okay that's it for now! Hope these tips are helpful.
• And if you're professionally entwined with the source / subject that's typically a red flag, unless you can show you're very much not biased by that and willing to be judgmental
• If the site is locally focused, have a local hook for your story or show that you've found other stories on the site that skew more nationally.
• Show why an average reader would want to click through to read the piece. Editors love niche pieces, but if it's a general interest site, the subject matter has to resonate with a large audience for it to be worth the freelance dollars
• An important addendum: forgive me editors, for I have sinned. I’ve made all these mistakes! I look back on some pitches and correspondence and drafts with absolute horror. But you only learn by doing, most editors understand that and are forgiving (or just will stop responding)

CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

• Questions / submissions: dan.gentile@sfgate.com
• Website: https://www.sfgate.com/

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: SFGate is an online source for news and entertainment related to the Bay Area. Provocative, energetic and unapologetic, the Gate is in constant conversation with the world's most eclectic region. More information here.
• Read through a selection of recent culture stories/articles here.
• Check out our collection of pitch excerpts on this page and find more sample pitches at The Open Notebook Database and at SuccessfulPitches.com.
• Do not forget to end your pitch with (1) a short introduction about yourself; (2) a paragraph highlighting your writing experience, relevant credentials and publication credits; and (3) links to your strongest work or portfolio, and online profile.

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