Pitching an Article

489 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Mark Dawson, Jan 11, 2013

Mark Dawson

Discussion Starter · Jan 10, 2013

Hi all,

I've been presented with an opportunity - I've been asked to pitch a story idea on self-publishing to two very large UK newspapers. I could write something personal setting out the differences between the new and old models, but I'm not sure if that's got quite enough fizz about it. I could do something about the death of trad publishers, but that's cliched and exaggerated. Looking at success stories (EL James, et al) has been done and dusted.

It needs something else...

Can anyone suggest an interesting angle? What would make for a really interesting piece?

All thoughts very gratefully received.

Cheers

Mark

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1 - 6 of 6 Posts

Fredster

· #2 · Jan 10, 2013

Hugh Howey had a great idea for a story: the great numbers of people who are making good income (often even enough to quit their 'day' jobs) from self-publishing their own work. They number in the thousands now, I'd imagine, people quietly switching over to follow a dream and making it. Not making it big -- though some do, it's like you said, that's been way overdone -- but making it well. Paying their mortgages, or their kids' college tuitions, and more.

To me, that's a big deal because I think most people are under the impression that all self-pubbers are either like James / Andre / Hocking, or are abject failures with one or two forced sales on friends and family.

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Mark Dawson

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 10, 2013

I'm liking that. The bombastic approach has been done to death, a more reflective piece looking at the new opportunities could be really nice. It would also allow me to feature a few KBers who have made the switch, or are considering it. Thanks.

Any other ideas?

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Cherise

· #4 · Jan 10, 2013

Fredster said:
Hugh Howey had a great idea for a story: the great numbers of people who are making good income (often even enough to quit their 'day' jobs) from self-publishing their own work. They number in the thousands now, I'd imagine, people quietly switching over to follow a dream and making it. Not making it big -- though some do, it's like you said, that's been way overdone -- but making it well. Paying their mortgages, or their kids' college tuitions, and more.

To me, that's a big deal because I think most people are under the impression that all self-pubbers are either like James / Andre / Hocking, or are abject failures with one or two forced sales on friends and family.

Mark, Here is Hugh Howie's thread on that, to give you ideas on who would be open to being interviewed for this article on the self-published authors who are making 500 a month or more and paying some bills with their writing. Hugh pitched this to many journalists and none of them bit, so I am sure the topic is available.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,134236.0.html

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CEMartin2

· #5 · Jan 10, 2013

How about talking about the illusion of choice?

Amazon provides this to their customers. Indies give them content that they can then use to show readers they can read what they want... No reader is actually going to sift through millions of books, though. They're going to look at what is on the main page at Kindle, or what other people like.

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Mark Dawson

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 11, 2013

Thanks all - I've pitched that exact idea (which is excellent) and we will see whether the bait is taken. I may return to this subject if it is...

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