SESSION INSIGHTS.

How to Get Commissioned: Research the publication. What have they commissioned before?

Read their work! What angles do they go for? Look for niche publications that match your unique voice & specialism.

Pitching: Get straight to the point. “I’ve got this idea *Insert Title* - Here’s what the pitch is…”

Bullet point what it’s about. Outline the article. Mention if you are speaking to experts. Mention research (for opinion pieces too).

Include a mini bio & examples of your work. NEVER send a pre-written article: to protect you.

Waiting for replies is the hard part. Follow up after a week. Pitch elsewhere.

The reality: once you’ve been published, it’s easy to get published.

Don’t be precious with your ideas: be open to notes or edits.

A ‘no’ is not a reflection of you, it could be timing, budgets, or capacity.

Being a ‘Jack-of-all-Trades’ is not the best way now, What is your expertise? What is your Specialism?

At Black Ballad, we don’t care if it’s self-published, we just want to see writing.

Create your own lane - people will have to come to you eventually.