The article pitch template
for long-form writing.
What an editor needs on one screen to say yes, no, or 'not this, but what about'.
What this template is for
Freelance pitches, internal proposals for a long piece, and conference talk submissions.
The structure, part by part
1. Working headline
Write the headline the published piece would carry. If you cannot, the pitch is still an area of interest rather than a story.
2. The one-paragraph pitch
What is new, who needs it, and why now. An editor is deciding whether their readers will care, not whether the subject is interesting in general.
3. Why me, why now
Access, expertise, or a timely hook. One sentence each is plenty.
4. Sources and access
Name who you can actually get to. A pitch that depends on interviews you have not secured is a proposal to try, and editors can tell.
5. Suggested length and section
Show that you have read the publication. Proposing 4,000 words to an outlet that runs 900 signals you have not.
The template itself
Copy this skeleton into a new document and replace each line. In Strut you can start a document from it directly — pick Article pitch in the template selector when you create one.
## Working headline [Write the headline the published piece would carry.] ## The one-paragraph pitch [What is new, who needs it, and why now.] ## Why me, why now [Access, expertise, or a timely hook.] ## Sources and access [Name who you can actually get to.] ## Suggested length and section [Show that you have read the publication.]
Where this structure goes wrong
- Pitching a subject rather than a story, so the editor cannot picture the finished piece.
- Promising interviews you have not secured, which experienced editors detect immediately.
- Ignoring the publication’s usual length and section, which signals you have not read it.
Questions about this template
How long should a pitch be?
+
One screen. If an editor has to scroll twice before understanding the story, the pitch is doing the wrong job.
Should I write the piece first?
+
Usually not. Pitch first for reported work; write first only for essays where the voice is the selling point.
What if I get no reply?
+
Follow up once after two weeks, then pitch it elsewhere. Silence is common and rarely personal.
Guides that go deeper
- How to organize a writing project that holds up — A working structure for a long-form writing project: one project home, research kept separate, a live outline, one current draft, clear stages.
- How to title long-form work so it earns the read — What a title must promise and deliver, how working titles differ from published ones, why curiosity gaps fail readers, and how to generate real options.
Other templates
Give your rough notes
somewhere to go.
Projects, notes, versioned drafts, imported sources, and careful AI assistance in one private workspace.